22 details you might’ve missed during the Paris 2024 opening ceremony
Toward the end of the opening ceremony, famed athletes from the host nation typically carry the torch to the cauldron.
The final procession started with French soccer player Zinedine Zidane. But in a twist of events, he passed the torch to Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal, who holds the record for the most French Open titles (14).
The tennis player then boarded a speedboat with Romanian gymnast Nadia Comănect, US tennis player Serena Williams, and US track and field star Carl Lewis.
After a short ride on the Seine, the torch was returned to the hands of famous French athletes who lit the cauldron together in the Tuileries Garden.
French Canadian singer Dion performed at the end of the ceremony, a rarity since she has been diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome.
She performed “Hymne à l’amour,” a song made famous by French singer Édith Piaf, on the Eiffel Tower.