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Some of the biggest names in sports history carried the Olympic torch in its final run before being handed over to judoka Teddy Riner and sprinter Marie-Jose Perec who lit the cauldron. read more
 "Who carried the Olympic torch in its final run?")
Zinedine Zidane hands the Olympic torch over to Rafael Nadal during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics. AP
At the Paris Olympics opening ceremony, staged in a historic outdoor setting for the first time, a twist had been kept under the wraps. With the specifics of the ceremony kept a secret by the organisers, the final bit of the opening act was also kept confidential - and it became clear why.
Paris Olympics: News, schedule, medals tally and more
In an unexpected turn of events, the Olympic flame made its way past the Eiffel Tower, where athletes had disembarked from their boats following a Parade of Nations along the River Seine.
Zinedine Zidane passe la flamme à Rafael Nadal. pic.twitter.com/8eamjmWa53
— Info France 2 (@infofrance2) July 26, 2024The flame was handed over to French football legend Zinedine Zidane, who received it from a mysterious hooded figure that had appeared throughout the ceremony. The figure arrived in the grand finale of the four-hour spectacle, riding a grey horse with the Olympic flag draped over their shoulders like a knight in silver armour.
Meanwhile, Zidane passed the torch to honorary Parisian Rafael Nadal, who holds the record for winning the French Open title at Roland Garros a remarkable 14 times. The Spaniard joined fellow sports icons, including former tennis star Serena Williams, gymnast Nadia Comaneci, and track and field legend Carl Lewis, aboard a speedboat filled with Olympic celebrities.
GO4TS
Merci Carl Lewis, Rafael Nadal, Nadia Comaneci, Serena Williams, un relais de légendes#Paris2024
📷 Getty / Richard Pelham pic.twitter.com/vq7pbS549T
The torch then returned to land, where French tennis great and equality advocate Amelie Mauresmo took on the responsibility of ensuring the flame safely reaches its final destination, though its exact location remained unknown at that moment.
As the celebrations continued, a dazzling laser show illuminated the Eiffel Tower, while the flame arrived at the Louvre, where athletes like French pole vaulter Renaud Lavillenie passed the torch to judoka Teddy Riner and sprinter Marie-Jose Perec.
At the Tuileries Garden, the pair ignited a ring of flames attached to a hot air balloon, which then ascended into the sky.
The unmistakable voice of Celine Dion filled the air from midway up the Eiffel Tower, eliciting gasps from the audience. Her emotional performance of “Hymne A L’Amour,” marking her comeback after announcing diagnosis of stiff-person syndrome in 2022, captivated the crowd.
“Finally, the moment has arrived,” said International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach. “Welcome to the Olympic Games Paris 2024. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to our gracious French hosts. Thank you for welcoming us in such a spectacular way. The Olympic flame will make Paris and all of France shine even brighter.”
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English (US) ·