Impressive images at the most special Paris Olympics opening ceremony in history

The impressive 4-hour Paris 2024 Olympic Opening Ceremony officially opened more than 2 weeks of exciting competition at the world's largest sporting event.

This is the first time in history that the Olympic opening ceremony was not held in a stadium but took place on the Seine River, the heart of the French capital.

The opening ceremony lasted four hours in the rain, starting with a video showing the torch relay by former French football legend Zinedine Zidane.

The torch was taken from the Stade de France stadium, passing through famous landmarks of the capital Paris to Trocadero Square, where President Emmanuel Macron and more than 160 heads of state and high-ranking officials from many countries around the world were present to witness the opening ceremony.

On the bridge over the Seine River, a giant plume of smoke with three colors, blue, white and red, symbolizing the French national flag, was sprayed high into the air, as a greeting from the host country to the world, also opening the parade of sports delegations participating in the Olympics.

6,800 athletes on 90 boats paraded along the 6km Seine River, passing many iconic landmarks of France such as: Austerlitz Bridge, Alexandre III Bridge, Des Arts Bridge, Notre Dame Cathedral, Louvre Museum, Eiffel Tower and several competition venues such as Esplanade des Invalides, Grand Palais... to reach the finishing point at Trocadero Square near the Eiffel Tower, where the main ceremonies of the opening ceremony took place.

The Vietnamese sports delegation paraded with 10 members, including 6 athletes: Le Duc Phat, Nguyen Thuy Linh, Do Thi Anh Nguyet, Le Quoc Phong, Nguyen Thi That. The French sports delegation, the host of this year's Olympics, appeared last.

The opening ceremony was further enhanced by the appearance of a mysterious figure dressed in armor riding a metal horse on the Seine River and heading towards Trocadero Square. This person carried the Olympic flag for the flag-raising ceremony.

After the Olympic flag was raised under the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach and President Emmanuel Macron declared the 33rd Paris 2024 Olympics open.

The torch was then lit on a hot air balloon instead of the traditional torch stand. French football legend Zinedine Zidane appeared at the Trocadero square and handed the torch to Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard received the torch and boarded a boat with tennis player Serena Williams, former athlete Carl Lewis, and former gymnast Nadia Comaneci.

After a long journey across the Seine, Nadal passed the torch to former French tennis player Amelie Mauresmo. The Olympic torch has been passed through several former high-achieving French athletes.

Two black French athletes, Marie-Jose Perec and Teddy Riner, were the final leg of the Olympic torch. The pair lit the balloon and lit it up, lighting up the skies over Paris, kicking off more than two weeks of competition at the Games.

The opening ceremony ended on a high note with Celine Dion's "Hymn to Love," her first performance in two years, drawing enthusiastic cheers from the crowd.

Impressive images at the Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony: