PARIS – The 2024 Paris Olympics are officially underway.

Thousands of spectators gathered along the River Seine in rainy conditions on Friday to welcome athletes from all over the world in an opening ceremony that was a Paris showcase.

There were performances, a tightrope walker, a fashion show, an athlete parade on boats on the Seine, a light show, a memorable performance by singer Celine Dion and the lighting of the Olympic cauldron that rose into the air on a hot air balloon.

Here are the five best things that I saw on the ground at the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony:

Athletes riding on boats on Seine

Team USA had the largest national delegation at the opening ceremony with 593 total athletes, so of course they occupied a large boat. LeBron James and Coco Gauff were the flag bearers for the U.S.

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More than 10,000 athletes from over 200 nations will compete at the Paris Olympics. Friday night was an extravaganza, but it was about the athletes — and they had one heck of an entrance on the Seine.

“Dear fellow athletes, this is the pinnacle of your journey,” International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said to the Olympic athletes. “You have come to Paris as athletes. Now you’re Olympians.”

Paris fashion show

Paris has been known as the fashion capital of the world since the 16th century, so it was fitting that the opening ceremony featured a fashion show. Paris fashion week begins in late September this year. Spectators got a brief preview.

Eiffel Tower light show

Standing 1,083 feet tall, the Eiffel Tower is one of the most well-known monuments in the world. The opening ceremony featured a light show at the iconic tower that could be seen all over Paris.

Unique lighting of cauldron

The Olympic cauldron was lit by Teddy Riner, a three-time Olympic champion in judo, and Marie-Jose Perec, a three-time Olympic champion in track and field. Then it rose into the air on a hot air balloon.

Céline Dion performance

The opening ceremony was punctuated by a performance by singer Céline Dion who sang “L’Hymne à l’amour” from the Eiffel Tower in an emotional moment. It marked Dion’s first performance since she announced her diagnosis of stiff-person syndrome in 2022.

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