The French capital is gearing up for a groundbreaking start to the Paris 2024 Olympics, with the opening ceremony set to take place on the Seine River this Friday at 11:00 pm IST.
The floating parade will leave from the Austerlitz bridge beside the Jardin des Plantes and end at the Trocadero, where the remaining elements of Olympic protocol and the final shows will take place. The program is scheduled to last more than three hours.
In a first for Olympic history, the traditional Parade of Nations will eschew the stadium setting, instead featuring over 10,000 athletes cruising along the Seine in approximately 100 boats. The floating procession will showcase Paris’s iconic landmarks, including Notre Dame and Pont Neuf, as it travels from the Austerlitz bridge to the Trocadero.
Thomas Jolly, a French theatre director and actor, is overseeing the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic ceremonies as artistic director.
India’s contingent will be led by badminton star PV Sindhu and table tennis veteran Sharath Kamal, both making history as the first athletes from their sports to serve as India’s flag-bearers at an Olympics opening ceremony.
The Indian team boasts a strong presence across 16 sports, with a 29-member athletics team led by javelin champion Neeraj Chopra and a record 21-member shooting contingent. Other notable athletes include archer Deepika Kumari, weightlifter Mirabai Chanu, and boxers Lovlina Borgohain and Nikhat Zareen.
The archers competing in Paris include stars like Deepika Kumari and Tarundeep Rai. They will be competing in the individual ranking rounds on July 25 and will be the first Indians in action, prior to the opening ceremony scheduled for the next day.
India’s first medal opportunity comes on July 27 in the mixed team air rifle event. Chopra, the reigning Olympic and World champion in javelin, will compete in early August.
The 16 sports India will be competing in during Paris 2024 are: archery, athletics, badminton, boxing, equestrian, golf, hockey, judo, rowing, sailing, shooting, swimming, table tennis and tennis.
The games, which conclude on August 11, present an opportunity for India to surpass its Tokyo 2020 tally of seven medals, including one gold. Indian viewers can catch the action on Sports18 TV channels and stream it for free on Jio Cinema.
(Inputs from ANI)