?he 33rd Olympic Games in Paris were launched officially through a grand, spectacular and historic opening ceremony, which for the first time took place outside a stadium, on the banks of the Seine and under heavy rain.
As usual, the first group to open the parade was the Greek team, followed by the refugee group, which has 37 members, and then the rest of the national delegations, among them the delegation of the Cyprus Olympic Committee.
Cyprus is participating for the 12th time in the modern history of the Olympic Games. In the parade along the Seine, flag bearers Milan Trajkovic and Elena Kulichenko proudly held the flag of Cyprus, accompanied by athletes Marilena Makri, Nicholas Antoniou, Sofia Asvesta, Alexandros Tofalides and Olivia Fotopoulou.
The Opening Ceremony was attended by more than 85 heads of state and government, among them the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, with his wife, Filippa Karsera Christodoulides, who had earlier attended a reception at the Élysée Pala
ce, hosted by the French President, Emmanuel Macron, and the President of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach.
In his post on X, President Christodoulides wrote yesterday that he is “proud of the Cypriot Team! Proud of Cyprus!” and after wishing good luck to everyone, he said that “for us you are already winners.”
French President Emmanuel Macron declared the opening of the 33rd Paris Olympic Games, while the President of the Organizing Committee of the 2024 Olympic Games, Tony Estanguet, in his speech said it was a great honour to welcome Olympic fans to Paris, 100 years since they last hosted the Summer Games, adding that there is a “great love story” between France and the Olympics.
The Opening Ceremony ended with the famous singer Celine Dion, who from the first floor of the Eiffel Tower appeared on stage for the first time, after her health issue.
The heavy rain, however, affected the Opening Ceremony, with spectators leaving before the parade of athletes had even finished, while also af
fecting the work of media personnel, who strived to protect their equipment from the rain.
With the aim of entering the final of the individual all-around, the European artistic gymnastics all-around men’s champion, Marios Georgiou, is the first athlete of the Cypriot Olympic Committee’s mission to Paris, who will be thrown into battle after the Instrumental gymnastics competitions begin this Saturday, at the Bercy Arena.
The effort of the Cypriot European champion will be attended by the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, as well as members of the Cypriot Olympic Committee delegation.
Source: Cyprus News Agency