Paris delivers ‘one of the best opening ceremonies’

PARIS: French popstars, an eye-catching aerobatics show, the iconic delegations parade and a series of dazzling dances on a warm and vibrant French night were among the highlights of a spectacular Paralympic opening ceremony on Thursday morning (AEST).
Australian Paralympic great Annabelle Williams, a swimming gold medallist, was in awe of the show, which took place across three-and-a-half hours on the Champs-Élysées — perhaps the most famous strip of road in the world — and the Place de la Concorde.
“I reckon that was one of the best opening ceremonies of all time,” Williams said on Nine’s coverage.
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“What an extraordinary way to welcome in the Paralympics.
“Parts were huge celebrations, parts were so poignant. Such a message of inclusion.
“It was brilliant.”
Paris was on show in all its marvellously photogenic beauty with iconic tourist sites such as the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the Palais Garnier opera house and the River Seine, along with the Champs-Élysées and Place de la Concorde, all within sight.
The stage for the Paralympic opening ceremony. Naomi Baker/Getty Images
That was the glorious setting for a scintillating sound and light extravaganza that featured French popstar Christine And The Queens, countless red Phryges — the official mascot of Paris 2024 — and the Patrouille acrobatique de France, the aerobatic unit of the French Air and Space Force.
French singer Lucky Love, who’s missing one arm, also featured prominently, as did French Paralympic swimmer Théo Curin, who arrived at the ceremony in a taxi smothered with Phryges.
Smoke coloured blue, white and red, the colours of the French flag, exploded in the sky, both over the Place de la Concorde and in the trails of the planes.
Watch every moment, every medal of the Paralympic Games Paris 2024 live and free on Channel 9, 9Gem and 9Now. Plus, every event streaming ad free, live and on demand with 4K on Stan Sport.
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A parade featuring 184 delegations began with Afghanistan, the team at the top of the alphabetic order, and ended with the French hosts, as Australia appeared third-last and the USA second-last because they are the next two hosts of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Thirty-four athletes from the 160-strong Australian team took part in the parade, which headed down the Champs-Élysées and finished at the Place de la Concorde, with wheelchair racing legend Madison de Rozario and Brenden Hall leading the way as flag bearers.
Australian sporting legend Dylan Alcott, a winner of four Paralympic gold medals across basketball and tennis, was amazed by the ceremony.
“I reckon the biggest thing is — you can tell by this opening ceremony — we are normal people who do normal things who just want to get the opportunity to be ourselves and not just survive but thrive,” Alcott said on the Nine broadcast.
“Not just in sport, in all kinds of areas of life, and that’s what the Paralympic Games represents. We have seen this in the opening ceremony. How much representation, real representation, have you seen here? It’s actual genuine inclusion because this has been built on lived experience.”
Watch every moment, every medal of the Paralympic Games Paris 2024 live and free on Channel 9, 9Gem and 9Now. Plus, every event streaming ad free, live and on demand with 4K on Stan Sport.
Fittingly, one of the most beloved French songs, 1969 tune Les Champs-Élysées, rung throughout Paris as the French team rounded out the parade.
A series of mesmerising artistic performances came before and after the parade.
Then came the recitation of the Paralympic oath.
In the meantime, the final stages of the Paralympic torch relay played out, culminating in the lighting of the cauldron with a sparkling Eiffel Tower and fireworks in the backdrop.
“Our voices have been heard through every step of this opening ceremony and this is our time to shine,” Alcott said.
“The Olympics have been and this is when we run the world for two weeks, and we’re so proud to play a very, very small role in that.
“That next generation of kids, they just see this as normal now, and that’s such a beautiful thing to us.
“There were all kinds of different disabilities.
“People with one leg, one arm, wheelchairs, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, and they were just being themselves.
“They were getting celebrated for their authenticity, their vulnerability.
“I loved every second of it.
“The best part is, that’s just the beginning! Live sport coming your way in Australia later today.”
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