Street skating returns to the second Olympic Games
Only a few events have taken place so far in the run up to the opening ceremony, but things get started in earnest tomorrow with diving, swimming and fencing.
The Games also feature some first medals, including the men's skateboard street final, which returns to the Olympics for the second time after captivating crowds in Tokyo three years ago.
22 of the world's best street skaters will show off their skills and tricks, including grinds, slides and aerials, in front of a panel of judges at Paris' iconic Place de la Concorde.
Japan's returning champion Hayato Horimai is one of the favourites to win, but he faces stiff competition from fellow 14-year-old Gin-Woo Onodera of Japan and Nyjah Huston of the United States.
Dion says it was fun to sing in Paris after a two-year hiatus
Celine Dion looked beaming with pride after tonight's performance.
The 56-year-old Canadian, who wrote his first song in French at the age of 12, paid tribute on Instagram.
“I am honoured to perform tonight at the Opening Ceremony of Paris 2024 and am so happy to be back in one of my favourite cities,” she said.
The star's performance marked her first since announcing her diagnosis with Stiff Person Syndrome in 2022. She closed out the night by singing “Hymne amore” at the base of the Eiffel Tower.
After witnessing the sacrifices made by top athletes in Paris, she said she wants them to be proud, too. “We know how hard you've worked to be the best. Stay focused and keep working hard. My heart is with you!” Dion said.
Biden is wearing his own Olympic gear.
President Joe Biden was seen leaving the White House today wearing a Team USA Olympic jacket, a white jacket with the national flag and the word USA emblazoned on the back.
The president walked to Marine One, the helicopter on the way to Camp David.
First lady Jill Biden was scheduled to lead the U.S. delegation to the opening ceremony in Paris.
The ceremony put the spotlight on artists and athletes
The Paris Games are a celebration of the marriage of artistry and athleticism.
Lady Gaga kicked off the event musically, performing Gigi Jeanmaire's “Mon Truc En Plumes” on the steps of the Seine.
Surrounded by pink feathers, Gaga's brief stage appearance was reminiscent of her jazz and piano residency in Las Vegas and also seemed to pay homage to Jeanmaire's performance of the song on The Ed Sullivan Show. After descending the stairs, Gaga performed a chorus line and played piano.
For more information about the musical performances, please click here.
A lavish boat parade made the Paris opening historic
For the first time, athletes from all over the world made a spectacular entrance to the Olympic Games by boat, with each country's delegation sailing down the Seine, the “artery” of Paris.
Greece was the first delegation, with NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo carrying the flag. The country has traditionally led the parade to commemorate the Olympic Games' origins in Ancient Greece 3,000 years ago.
The U.S. team's boat, carrying flag-bearer Coco Gauff and LeBron James, was the penultimate boat to enter view at the opening ceremony, symbolizing the nation's placement in the next Olympic cycle when the U.S. hosts the games in Los Angeles in 2028.
As the host country, France had the honor of closing out the 2024 parade.
Read on for other notable moments from tonight's Opening Ceremony.
Torchbearer Snoop Dogg: “I did something today”
That would be an understatement: Rap icon Snoop Dogg posted a photo of himself holding the Olympic torch in Paris today, writing, “I did something today,” the same day he raised the torch in Saint-Denis, north of Paris.
He said the experience of holding the torch was indescribable.
“That double was walking down the street with a torch. I felt like Muhammad Ali,” Snoop told Mike Tirico.
“We're here for peace, love, unity and good sportsmanship,” the rapper said. “That's why we're here, baby.”
Relive the magic of the Opening Ceremony
The opening ceremony is over, but the Olympics are just beginning — and so is NBC's coverage of the Paris Games.
The boat parade down the Seine, the pomp and circumstance, the lighting of the cauldron and all of today's surprises will be re-broadcast tonight in an 'enhanced' broadcast featuring bonus footage, athlete reactions and more.
Tune in at 7:30pm on NBC and follow along here.
France strengthens security on rail network
France's national rail company SNCF said extra law enforcement officers and railway staff were monitoring the rail network following last night's vandalism.
SNCF said in a statement that it had deployed about 40 police teams and 50 drones. The company has mobilized more than 100 employees to carry out repairs and said it was confident that high-speed train services on the affected lines would be improved by tomorrow.
Transportation for Olympic officials and teams has been arranged, the statement said.
10,000 miles from Paris, in Tahiti, surfers adjust to Olympic life
While the Olympic Village in Paris is buzzing today ahead of the Opening Ceremony, 10,000 miles away in Tahiti, Olympic surfers are settling into a village of their own.
To accommodate the 48 Olympic surfers, including U.S. surfers Carissa Moore and Caroline Marks, who will converge on Te Aupō, a picturesque coastal village known as one of the world's toughest and most dangerous surfing spots, organizers are literally pushing out boats.
They'll be staying on a luxury cruise ship for the next few weeks. Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Kanoa Igarashi shared a tour of the ship with his followers on TikTok, where you won't find any cardboard beds and it may be the first Olympic village, complete with waterslides and tattoo shops.
If you missed the ceremony, you can watch the primetime broadcast here
Full primetime coverage of the Olympic Opening Ceremony begins tonight at 7:30pm ET on NBC and Peacock.
