- Slug: Sports–Olympics Opening Ceremony. 780 words.
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By Devon Henderson
Cronkite News
PARIS – Filmmakers use it to enhance a cinematic scene with emotion, drama and urgency. On Friday night, Paris put on one of the world’s grandest productions, broadcast worldwide to over a billion people across the globe, and Mother Nature decided to intervene with that same element.
Rain.
As the heavens above the City of Light opened up for the Paris Olympics’ opening ceremony, dumping rain on the spectacle below, the drama was heightened. While most of the just under 7,000 athletes that cruised down the river Seine – in various boats with their fellow countrymen – adorned clear ponchos so as not to ruin their perfectly tailored suits underneath, many of the thousands of fans at viewing parties in local parks across Paris weren’t so lucky. They hardly noticed.
“(The rain) just made it more exciting and special,” said Andrea Rivera, a Puerto Rico native who lives in Hawaii and traveled to Paris for the Summer Games. “Just having these people from all over the world gathered together and celebrating culture and life, it’s amazing. It’s a dream. Vive Le France.”
The ceremony featured Celine Dion singing from the Eiffel Tower and Lady Gaga performing a burlesque-style act. A hot-air balloon brought an Olympic ring of fire into a cloudy sky and French soccer legend Zinedine Zidane kicked it all off with the Olympic flame in his hands.
The event sent a message of inclusivity and unity.
While some fans did bring the proper outwear for the wet evening, others braved the elements in their regular clothing with no extra layers. The weather did little to dampen the mood in the melting pot of a celebration, where more than a dozen different flags were waved at one watch party while almost every country got their moment to be loudly supported.
“It’s amazing,” Queens University of Charlotte student Olivia Anderson said. “The environment is so great. Everyone is just having a great time no matter where they’re from. (I don’t notice the rain) at all. It’s been great.”
Just as the Summer Games bring in athletes from across the globe, the host cities also welcome fans from all walks of life into their borders to celebrate sport. The introductory night is a sensory serotonin boost to anyone who witnesses it in person.
Shekinah, a member of the Deaf community from the Democratic Republic of Congo, traveled to an opening ceremony watch party in the Parc de Choisy. With him was his companion, Jessica, who essentially was his voice, translating for him through American Sign Language. The mere sight of vaunted Olympians parading across the giant screen in the park, combined with the sights of many others gleefully dancing in the same space, moved Shekinah to stand up and join in the hoopla.
“It’s good actually,” Shekinah said through Jessica. “We are really happy to be here and people are very happy. This is so fun.”
The United States boasts the most athletes with 631 total, besting host France, who had 588. Out of 10,500 total athletes – not every athlete participated in the ceremony due to travel distance from their sports location – the U.S. delegation accounts for 6 percent of the total participation.
A similar percentage of U.S. fans – if not more – were represented in the public park viewing fan zone. Thousands took to the street to celebrate and kick off the event. However, no sound quite perked the American ear – above the hubbub – than the unmistakable patriotic chant that began as a murmur and escalated to a crescendo:
“U-S-A, U-S-A.”
Team USA men’s basketball player Lebron James first graced the French national broadcast of the ceremonies with Team USA tennis player Coco Gauff, bearing a large American flag. They were flanked by a gaggle of the nation’s most elite sportsmen and sportswomen, who all packed together shoulder-to-shoulder on their boat.
The moment served equally as an invitation as it was a warning to any and all to try and beat the Americans in any competition, if they dare. At first sight of the U.S. contingent, many fans cheered loudly. A cacophony of clapping, squealing and yelling combated the pouring rain for exclusive dominion over the night sky. Chants reigned, and dancing intensified in the Parc de Choisy.
The night served as a defibrillator, injecting electricity and excitement into the heart and soul of the City of Love via its public parks. Despite the wet conditions, the smiles beaming, coupled with the enjoyment from those who joined in the spectacle, was enough to warm up the night, creating an unforgettable atmosphere for its participants.
If anything, for those who attended the watch parties, the gloomy weather only added to the Parisian ambiance.
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