Welcome to Saturday's coverage of the 2024 Olympics, which officially kicked off in Paris on Friday night with a glitzy opening ceremony.
In case you missed it, here are some key takeaways from the show.
Paris flaunts: On Friday, the opportunity was well taken to showcase the City of Light, its culture and its people. Riverboats on the Seine, with the Eiffel Tower adorned with the Olympic rings as a backdrop, made for an incredible Parisian scene as they passed famous landmarks on their way to the conclusion of the Parade of Nations at the Trocadero. Illuminated in all their glory, the famous landmarks became veritable beacons in an otherwise dreary night.
This served as a strong preview of what the rest of the Games will be like, as the Olympics will use some of the city's most iconic landmarks as the backdrop for the competition.
Rain tries to steal the show: About 30 minutes into the three-and-a-half-hour show, the grey skies over Paris opened up.
Hundreds of thousands of spectators lined the banks of the Seine in ponchos and rain jackets, and umbrellas were quickly brought out as the rain began to fall, but about an hour after the rain really started to fall, some drenched spectators fled to nearby tents or covered areas. Cameras showed the crowds along the river thinning out at times.
But the Olympic spirit was not dampened by the rain: the athletes were waving excitedly to the spectators and France seemed to embrace the Olympics wholeheartedly.
Celine Dion is back: After a dazzling light show at the Eiffel Tower, Celine Dion, one of the most iconic singers of the past decades, returned to the stage for the first time in four years after battling stiff-person syndrome, a rare neurological disorder.
Her performance of “Amour Vous” was a stunning way to end the ceremony. Dressed in a stunning white outfit, Dion's performance was reminiscent of her past and gave us goosebumps, as her beautiful voice echoed across the Seine.
Friday Night Party in Paris: A long dance break midway through the show encapsulated the mood for much of the show: party time has begun in the French capital.
Techno and Europop music was playing and colorful dancers in all sorts of rave outfits were dancing, including a singer painted all blue and singing from a flower bed.
The opening ceremony featured performances by heavy metal band Gojira, French mezzo-soprano opera singer Axelle Saint-Cyril, and Lady Gaga, who performed a groundbreaking rendition of famous French artist Zizy Jeanmaire's song “Mon truc en plumes.”
Epic Torch Lighting: Carried by many French athletes and famous Olympians past and present, including Zinedine Zidane, Rafael Nadal (who carried the flame by boat down the Seine), Serena Williams (who rode next to Nadal), Carl Lewis and Tony Parker, the flame was lit by judo star Teddy Riner and 400m sprinter Marie-Josée Pérec.
And as the Olympic flame was lit in a cauldron attached to a giant balloon, it began to float away.
