The Paris Games Begin

The 2024 Paris Olympics are underway. The opening ceremony began under drizzly skies Friday, hours after arsonists disrupted high-speed train lines. For these Games, athletes were taking part in a water parade along the Seine, with a celebration to follow at the Eiffel Tower. From the AP:

• Paris put its best foot forward—quite literally, with joyous French cancan dancers featured early on. The show's spectacular launch at 7:30pm local time appeared to lift spirits after the morning's arson attacks. A humorous short film featured soccer icon Zinedine Zidane. Plumes of French blue, white, and red smoke followed. And Lady Gaga sang, in French, with dancers shaking pink plumed pompoms, adding a cabaret feel to the start of what is expected to be a more than three-hour show.
• Here is a look at Team USA, by the numbers.

• The boats carrying the Olympic teams started the parade by breaking through curtains of water that cascaded down from Austerlitz Bridge, the start of the nearly 4-mile parade route. The jetting waters were a wink at the splendid fountains of Versailles Palace, now the venue for Olympic equestrian competitions.
• Per Olympic protocol, the first boat carried athletes from Greece, birthplace of the ancient Games. It was followed by the Olympic team of refugee athletes and the other nations in French alphabetical order.
• Paris organizers said 6,800 of the 10,500 athletes would attend before they embark on the next 16 days of competition.

(More 2024 Paris Olympics stories.)