Amid downpour, Paris welcomes the world with unique Olympic opening

Update Amid downpour, Paris welcomes the world with unique Olympic opening
1 / 14
Short Url
Updated 27 July 2024
Follow

Amid downpour, Paris welcomes the world with unique Olympic opening

Amid downpour, Paris welcomes the world with unique Olympic opening
  • Friday saw suspected acts of sabotage targeting France’s flagship high-speed rail network
  • Cloudy skies and forecast rains ahead of the sprawling, ambitious opening ceremony

PARIS: Celebrating its reputation as a cradle of revolution, Paris kicked off its first Summer Olympics in a century on Friday with a rain-soaked, rule-breaking opening ceremony studded with stars and fantasy along the Seine River.

On-and-off showers — the first rain at a Summer Olympics’ opening ceremony in more than 70 years — did not seem to hamper the enthusiasm of the athletes. Some held umbrellas as they rode boats down the river in a showcase of the city’s resilience as authorities investigated suspected acts of sabotage targeting France’s high-speed rail network.

Athletes from Saudi Arabia will be competing across four sports at the Games — athletics, equestrian, swimming and taekwondo — and you can read a guide to everything about them, their preparation and their Olympics schedule here.

Likewise, there are dozens of Arab athletes taking part in this year’s Games, you can check out Arab News’ guide to the best male competitors and female athletes representing the Middle East and North Africa.

Widespread travel disruptions triggered by what French officials called coordinated arson attacks on high-speed rail lines as well as the weather had dampened the mood ahead of the ceremony.

Still, crowds crammed the Seine’s banks and bridges and watched from balconies, “oohing” and “aahing” as Olympic teams paraded in boats down the waterway that got increasingly choppy as the weather worsened.

Undeterred from the festivities, many of the hundreds of thousands of spectators huddled under umbrellas and jackets as the rain intensified, others danced and sang, and some dashed from their seats for shelter.

“I invite everybody: dream with us. Like the Olympic athletes, be inspired with the joy that only sport can give us. Let us celebrate this Olympic spirit of living in peace,” International Olympics Committee President Thomas Bach said.

French President Emmanuel Macron declared the Olympic Games open as a jaw-dropping light show on the Eiffel Tower made up for the rain-soaked start.

French football legend Zinedine Zidane handed the torch to another legend, French Open tennis record-breaker Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard took a boat trip with Americans Serena Williams and Carl Lewis to start the torches final relay.

French sprinter Marie-Jose Perec and French judoka Teddy Riner got the honor of lighting the Olympic cauldron.

Throughout the Olympics, you can follow all the action from Paris at the designated Arab News Sport section here.

Read about the highlights below (all times BST):

22:30 - That wraps up our live coverage of the opening ceremony of what will no doubt be an exciting Olympic games in Paris.

Follow our coverage of all the action here for the next fortnight.

22:30 - A look at that magnificent Olympic cauldron. It uses light and water to mimic a fire and will remain in the Paris skyline for the next fifteen days.

22:28 - Canadian singer Celine Dion brings the show to a close as she sings on Eiffel Tower.

22:24 - France’s Marie-Jose Perec and Teddy Riner light the Olympic cauldron.

22:19 - Torch-bearers are getting the flame to the destination where it will be for the duration of the games.

22:05 - Paris lights up the Eiffel Tower to welcome the Olympics  

21:55 - Zinedine Zidane passes on the Olympic torch to record French Open-champion Rafael Nadal, who has just passed it to fellow tennis royalty Serena Williams. We're not too far away from the all-important moment of its lighting...

20:00 - We've had more images of the Saudi delegation, it's looking very wet in Paris this evening. But spirits remain high!

Lebanon, Jordan and Kuwait have also sailed past in the athletes' parade.

 

 

19:15 - In case you missed it in all the drama, Lady Gaga performed a catchy little jazz ditty on the banks of the Seine...

18:45 - Our first glimpse of Arab delegations on the River Seine! The Saudi Arabia and Bahrain teams float past...

 

 

18:30 - We're underway!

18:15 - All smiles on the Saudi Arabia team as they prepare for their appearance at the opening ceremony! 




(Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee)

18:00 - We're about 30 minutes from the start of the ceremony, and the crowds are beginning to build on the banks of the River Seine. Not long to go now.




(AP)




(AP/Reuters)

17:30 - One of the highlights of the pre-Games events is the Olympic torch relay. It travels from Greece all around the world before ending its journey at the host city, in this case Paris. Watch a clip of its journey below:

17:15 - Despite the rocky start to Friday and the threat of a deluge on the French capital, the opening ceremony organizers are still in a positive mood. Which is probably just as well...

16:45 - Actress Michelle Yeoh has shared a heart-warming message about the Olympic Refugee Team, who will be representing more than 100 million displaced people worldwide.

16:35 - We're still being teased as to who will performing at the ceremony. Any predictions? Let us know at @ArabNewsSport...

16:30 - French President Emmanuel Macron has started welcoming several dozen of heads of state and government at the Elysee presidential palace. Macron’s office said the Elysee reception was “an opportunity for France to deliver a message of peace and tolerance as 10,500 athletes from around the world gather to take part in the world’s biggest event.”

About 100 world leaders, government officials and heads of international organizations are expected to attend the ceremony later on.




(AFP)

16:15 - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Friday that he absolutely condemned the saboteurs who struck France's TGV high-speed train network and hoped for the quick identification of the perpetrators. You can read about the arson attack here.

16:00 - The International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach has taken part in the Olympic flame relay as the Opening Ceremony nears.

15:45 - French TV shows Pharrell Williams carrying the Olympic flame atop the cathedral of Saint-Denis, on the northern outskirts of Paris.

His appearance follows superstar rapper Snoop Dogg being given the honor of carrying the flame earlier on Friday, which you can read more about below. Hopefully, he didn't drop it like it's hot...




(X/@Paris2024)

Camping out for the opening ceremony

People arrived hours before the start of the opening ceremony along the Seine River, seeking the best spot at the viewing areas. Some brought folding chairs, books, sandwiches and water.

Monica Merino, 57, came to Paris from Madrid for the Olympics and said it would be her first time watching the opening ceremony in person.

“We have visited Paris many times, and it is very different now because it is empty of people and full of military and police,” she said.

Giannis skirts train troubles

Greek basketball star Giannis Antetokounmpo, selected as one of his country’s flagbearers, avoided Friday’s train issues altogether.

He left Lille on Thursday, traveling in a convoy of buses alongside players from a few other teams. A team spokesperson said multiple teams chose to travel at the same time for security purposes.

Germany’s men’s team boarded buses bound for the ceremony Friday morning, having never planned to travel by train. The plan was to then to immediately head back to Lille for Saturday’s game against Japan.

The Paris Olympics have sold a record 9.7 million tickets — but more are available

After getting off to a rocky start last year, Olympics 2024 organizers said the Paris Games have broken the record for the most number of tickets sold or allocated in the event’s history. And yet, tickets are still available.

Organizers say 9.7 million tickets were sold or allocated for this year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games, with 8.7 million sold for the former and 1 million for the latter.

For Paris, a total of 10 million tickets were put on sale for the Olympics — meaning that despite the historic popularity of the sporting events and unprecedented scale of this year’s competitions, there will still be many empty seats remaining.

The total ticketing figure will, however, likely rise because tickets are still on sale for some of the 45 sports.

Snoop Dogg keeps it lit

The rapper-turned-NBC Olympics correspondent was one of the final Olympic torch bearers before the opening ceremony. He carried the flame in Saint-Denis, just outside Paris.

In an interview before his leg of the relay, Snoop Dogg vowed to be on his “best behavior.”

“I’m going to be on my best athleticism. I’ll be able to breathe slow to walk fast and hold the torch with a smile on my face, because I realize how prestigious this event is,” he said.

Two trains carrying Olympic athletes stopped en route to Paris

Two trains carrying Olympic athletes to Paris on the western Atlantique line were stopped hours before the opening ceremony, rail company SNCF said.

One train was canceled, and authorities hope the other will become operational.

* With AP


Liverpool honor Jota in return to action at Preston

Liverpool honor Jota in return to action at Preston
Updated 13 July 2025
Follow

Liverpool honor Jota in return to action at Preston

Liverpool honor Jota in return to action at Preston

LIVERPOOL: Diogo Jota was hailed “a champion” on Sunday by Liverpool manager Arne Slot as the Reds returned to the field for the first time since the Portuguese’s death by beating Preston 3-1 in a pre-season friendly.

Father of three Jota died alongside his brother Andre Silva on July 3, 11 days after marrying his long-term partner Rute Cardoso, after their car came off the road and burst into flames in northern Spain.

A rendition of Liverpool’s anthem “You’ll Never Walk Alone” was played before kick-off at Deepdale and Preston captain Ben Whiteman laid a wreath in front of the away supporters.

A minute’s silence was then observed and both teams wore black armbands.

“I think what I take comfort in is that in the last month of his life he was a champion in everything,” Slot said in an interview ahead of the match.

“A champion for his family, which is the main and most important thing, because he got married.

“A champion for his country because he won the Nations League with a country that he cared about so much, because he also wore the flag when we had celebrations.

“And of course a champion for us by winning the Premier League.”

Mohamed Salah was among the Liverpool starting lineup and captain for the day as Virgil van Dijk was left out of the playing squad but was still in attendance.

Three of the players who traveled to Gondomar, just outside Porto, for Jota’s funeral last weekend, Conor Bradley, Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo scored the goals in Liverpool’s first steps back toward normality.

Multiple renditions of Jota’s song, proclaiming him to be better than Portugal legend Figo, were belted out by the Liverpool support before a ball was even kicked.

In the crowd, flags emblazoned with “forever our No. 20” paid tribute to the man who died aged just 28.

Liverpool announced on Friday that the club will retire Jota’s No. 20 in his memory.

“It’s just hit the city hard,” said Liverpool fan and security officer Thomas McAllister, 48.

“Once a Liverpool player you become part of the family and we take you to our hearts. It’s like someone in the family has died.”

Earlier this week, Slot and his wife joined several players in attending the tributes that have appeared to Jota and his brother outside Anfield.

“We will always carry him with us in our hearts, in our thoughts, wherever we go,” added Slot.

Georgian goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili and defenders Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez made their Liverpool debuts as Slot named two entirely different sides for each half.

Liverpool had spent big in the transfer market prior to Jota’s passing, breaking the club’s record fee for Florian Wirtz as well as recruiting Frimpong and Kerkez in a bid to retain the Premier League title.

“It must be devastating for his family, his teammates but I think it will really unite and galvanize them to try and win the league for him,” said another supporter Diggy Anderson, 60.


Jannik Sinner: Quiet man of tennis basks in the limelight of Wimbledon glory

Jannik Sinner: Quiet man of tennis basks in the limelight of Wimbledon glory
Updated 13 July 2025
Follow

Jannik Sinner: Quiet man of tennis basks in the limelight of Wimbledon glory

Jannik Sinner: Quiet man of tennis basks in the limelight of Wimbledon glory
  • Jannik Sinner is the quiet man of tennis who has become a big noise, burnishing his legacy on Sunday by winning his first Wimbledon title

LONDON: Jannik Sinner is the quiet man of tennis who has become a big noise, burnishing his legacy on Sunday by winning his first Wimbledon title.

The Italian beat his fierce rival Carlos Alcaraz 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in the latest instalment of their captivating rivalry to claim his fourth Grand Slam at the age of 23.

The pair are the new dominant forces in men’s tennis, sharing the past seven Grand Slams between them as the memory of the “Big Three” era fades.

While Alcaraz is the flashy showman of the game, adored by the fans for his high-risk, high-reward tennis, Sinner stays ice-cold on the court and mild-mannered off it.

His game is based on relentless power and accuracy from the baseline, resembling that of 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic.

The Italian is getting used to life at the top, reaching his fourth successive major final at Wimbledon this year — a run that started with the US Open last season.

Sinner defended his Australian Open title in Melbourne in January but his career was put on hold after that as he served a three-month ban for twice testing positive for banned anabolic steroid clostebol last year.

Sinner has always maintained the product entered his system unintentionally through a massage from his physiotherapist, who had used a spray containing it to treat a cut.

The World Anti-Doping Agency said “Sinner did not intend to cheat” but that he would serve his suspension as he is responsible for the actions of his entourage.

Sinner returned to the court in May, reaching the final of the Italian Open, where he was beaten by Alcaraz.

Next on his schedule was the French Open and again he reached the title match, this time suffering heartbreak as Alcaraz came back from two sets down, saving three match points to defend his title.

That gave the Spaniard an 8-4 lead in the rivalry between the pair and was his fifth straight win.

But the tables were turned on Sunday as Sinner showed impressive mental strength to come back after losing the first set.

Sinner was born in German-speaking San Candido, in northern Italy, near the border with Austria.

A career in professional tennis was not a given.

He was a champion skier as a youngster and still enjoys the sport in the off-season. He was also a keen footballer.

The right-hander, who stands six feet 3 inches (191 centimeters) tall, won his first title indoors in Sofia in 2020.

The 2024 season was his breakthrough year as he collected his first Grand Slam, the Australian Open, and followed up with seven other titles including the US Open.

He became world number one — and the first Italian to reach top spot — in June last year.

Sinner’s super-power is his extraordinary ability to stay calm on court.

“I know he’s just 23 years of age, but sometimes it feels like he’s much older and wiser than what we are,” said his coach Darren Cahill. “He’s an incredible young man.”

Sinner makes no secret of the fact that he loves the job he has chosen.

“I’m very lucky because tennis started off a hobby when I was young, and now it becomes my job,” he said.

“In my mind it’s still a hobby. I love to go on court and just play. There is no better place to do it than in big stadiums with packed crowd.”


Japan outclass Pakistan 3-0 to win Men’s U18 Asia Cup 2025 title

Japan outclass Pakistan 3-0 to win Men’s U18 Asia Cup 2025 title
Updated 13 July 2025
Follow

Japan outclass Pakistan 3-0 to win Men’s U18 Asia Cup 2025 title

Japan outclass Pakistan 3-0 to win Men’s U18 Asia Cup 2025 title
  • Japan’s Yuma Fujiwara scored goals in the 22nd and 38th minutes of game
  • Skipper Tatsuaki Yasui scored the final goal to end Pakistan winning streak

ISLAMABAD: Japan defeated Pakistan 3-0 to win the Men’s U18 Asia Cup 2025 final at the National Hockey Training Center in Dazhou, China on Sunday.

Despite both teams attacking each other, the opening quarter of the match ended without a goal. Japan’s Yuma Fujiwara scored the first goal in the seventh minute of the second quarter.

Fujiwara found the net once again in the third quarter, followed by Tatsuaki Yasui extending Japan’s lead to 3-0 on a penalty corner in the final minutes of the fourth quarter.

“Japan are crowned champions after a commanding 3–0 victory over Pakistan in the final,” the Asian Hockey Federation commented on X.

“A flawless campaign, built on discipline, skill, and teamwork, earns Japan the top spot on the podium.”

Pakistan had entered the final unbeaten, after defeating Malaysia 4-3 in the semifinals.

Prior to that, the Pakistani side beat hosts China 2-1, Bangladesh 6-3, Sri Lanka 9-0 and Hong Kong 8-0.


Britain’s Rowland takes Formula E title with two races to spare

Britain’s Rowland takes Formula E title with two races to spare
Updated 13 July 2025
Follow

Britain’s Rowland takes Formula E title with two races to spare

Britain’s Rowland takes Formula E title with two races to spare
  • Rowland had needed to lead Pascal Wehrlein by 59 points after the second of two races in Berlin

BERLIN: Nissan’s Oliver Rowland won the Formula E title for the first time and with two races to spare on Sunday, the Briton becoming the all-electric series’ 10th different champion in the space of 11 seasons.

Rowland had needed to lead Pascal Wehrlein by 59 points after the second of two races in Berlin, the championship’s penultimate weekend, and he did it by finishing fourth with his Porsche rival only 16th despite starting on pole.

The Briton now has 184 points with Wehrlein on 125.

Sunday’s race at Berlin’s old Tempelhof airport was won by Jaguar’s Nick Cassidy, completing a weekend sweep after teammate Mitch Evans won on Saturday, with Andretti’s Jake Dennis second and Jean-Eric Vergne third for DS Penske.

The final two races of the season are in London on July 26-27.

It was the first time a Japanese manufacturer had won the championship. (Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London, editing by Christian Radnedge)


Jannik Sinner faces Carlos Alcaraz at Wimbledon in a rematch of their epic French Open final

Jannik Sinner faces Carlos Alcaraz at Wimbledon in a rematch of their epic French Open final
Updated 13 July 2025
Follow

Jannik Sinner faces Carlos Alcaraz at Wimbledon in a rematch of their epic French Open final

Jannik Sinner faces Carlos Alcaraz at Wimbledon in a rematch of their epic French Open final
  • Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are meeting to decide the Wimbledon championship just five weeks after they played each other in an epic French Open final
  • Alcaraz won in five sets spread over 5 hours, 29 minutes in Paris, coming back from a two-set deficit and saving three match points along the way

LONDON: Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are meeting to decide the Wimbledon championship just five weeks after they played each other in an epic French Open final.

Sunday’s matchup at Center Court between the No. 1-ranked Sinner and No. 2 Alcaraz marks the first time the same two men faced off in the title matches on the clay at Roland-Garros and the grass at the All England Club in the same year since Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal did it in 2006, 2007 and 2008.

Alcaraz, a 22-year-old from Spain, defeated Sinner, a 22-year-old from Italy, in five sets spread over 5 hours, 29 minutes in Paris on June 8, coming back from a two-set deficit and saving three match points along the way.

That made Alcaraz 5-0 in Grand Slam finals, including victories in 2023 and 2024 at Wimbledon.

He also carries a career-best 24-match winning streak into Sunday and has beaten Sinner five times in a row.

Sinner owns three major trophies and will be playing in his fourth consecutive Slam final — but first at the All England Club.

He won the US Open last September and the Australian Open this January.

Sinner has been wearing tape and an arm sleeve to protect his right elbow since falling in the opening game of his fourth-round win on Monday. After eliminating 24-time major champion Novak Djokovic in the semifinals, Sinner said he doesn’t think his elbow will be an issue on Sunday.

Play is scheduled to begin Sunday at 4 p.m. local time, which is 11 a.m. ET.

Sinner was listed Saturday as the slight money-line favorite at -110 by BetMGM Sportsbook, with Alcaraz at -105.