The Paris 2024 Olympic opening ceremony was a spectacular event.The sheer enthusiasm from the athletes was contagious, and even though it rained most of the time, the show went on without a hitch. That is, almost without a hitch. There was an arson attack on France's main railway system earlier Friday morning — and Team Canada's women's and men's soccer teams got off to a rough start this week too. A total of 337 athletes are in Paris representing Team Canada in the 2024 Olympics, including 122 men and 193 women. Track star Andre De Grasse and weightlifting star Maude Charron (weightlifting), were the team flag bearers. . The parade on the River Seine contained 10,500 Olympic athletes, and 206 boats from each competing nation, in a six- km procession through the heart of Paris, and ending at the Eiffel Tower, which was stunning lit up with the Olympic logo and lasers. .Holding the show on the River Seine was brilliant — with the iconic river setting the perfect stage for the four-hour display of athletic and musical performances, and breath-taking pyrotechnics. It was the first time in Olympic history the opening ceremony wasn't held in a stadium. .Lady Gaga and Celine Dion each put on a fabulous performance — en français — as did the dancers and athletic performers, including those on BMX bikes and executing Cirque du Soleil-style tricks. .Perhaps most mesmerizing were the dancers on stilts, figures who seemed to dance effortlessly in thin air. .There were some questionable moments, however. And others that were despicable. .As mentioned in the Western Standard's live coverage, drag was a common theme throughout the opening ceremony..One group of drag queens grotesquely depicted the Last Supper of Jesus Christ. A man covered in blue body paint (looking like a Smurf) wearing a very colourful crown of thorns writhed around on the table as though he were the living sacrifice. A child was present at the table. . There was a striking, translucent horse and rider that seemed to float effortlessly along the river — and it was hard to tell at first whether the strange figure was a projection or a machine. .At the end of the day, the Paris 2024 Olympics succeeded in what it set out to do, besides its self-proclaimed pursuit of "diversity" — thrill billions of people across the world and bring nations together for the spirited, centuries-old tradition that is the Olympic Games. It's always amazing to see people coming together to represent their country. .Go Canada! May the Olympic excitement and camaraderie that brings people together last far beyond these next 16 days of international competition.
The Paris 2024 Olympic opening ceremony was a spectacular event.The sheer enthusiasm from the athletes was contagious, and even though it rained most of the time, the show went on without a hitch. That is, almost without a hitch. There was an arson attack on France's main railway system earlier Friday morning — and Team Canada's women's and men's soccer teams got off to a rough start this week too. A total of 337 athletes are in Paris representing Team Canada in the 2024 Olympics, including 122 men and 193 women. Track star Andre De Grasse and weightlifting star Maude Charron (weightlifting), were the team flag bearers. . The parade on the River Seine contained 10,500 Olympic athletes, and 206 boats from each competing nation, in a six- km procession through the heart of Paris, and ending at the Eiffel Tower, which was stunning lit up with the Olympic logo and lasers. .Holding the show on the River Seine was brilliant — with the iconic river setting the perfect stage for the four-hour display of athletic and musical performances, and breath-taking pyrotechnics. It was the first time in Olympic history the opening ceremony wasn't held in a stadium. .Lady Gaga and Celine Dion each put on a fabulous performance — en français — as did the dancers and athletic performers, including those on BMX bikes and executing Cirque du Soleil-style tricks. .Perhaps most mesmerizing were the dancers on stilts, figures who seemed to dance effortlessly in thin air. .There were some questionable moments, however. And others that were despicable. .As mentioned in the Western Standard's live coverage, drag was a common theme throughout the opening ceremony..One group of drag queens grotesquely depicted the Last Supper of Jesus Christ. A man covered in blue body paint (looking like a Smurf) wearing a very colourful crown of thorns writhed around on the table as though he were the living sacrifice. A child was present at the table. . There was a striking, translucent horse and rider that seemed to float effortlessly along the river — and it was hard to tell at first whether the strange figure was a projection or a machine. .At the end of the day, the Paris 2024 Olympics succeeded in what it set out to do, besides its self-proclaimed pursuit of "diversity" — thrill billions of people across the world and bring nations together for the spirited, centuries-old tradition that is the Olympic Games. It's always amazing to see people coming together to represent their country. .Go Canada! May the Olympic excitement and camaraderie that brings people together last far beyond these next 16 days of international competition.
