Eiffel Tower dons Olympic rings as Paris 2024 opening ceremony nears

The Eiffel Tower in Paris has been adorned with the five Olympic rings, signalling the imminent start of the 2024 Summer Games. The opening ceremony, set to begin at 11:00 pm IST on Friday, July 26, will break tradition by taking place along the River Seine instead of in a stadium.

Over 10,000 athletes from around the world will participate in a floating parade, cruising past iconic Parisian landmarks on approximately 100 boats. The procession will commence at the Austerlitz Bridge and conclude at the Trocadero, where the final Olympic protocols and performances will unfold.

Indian badminton star PV Sindhu and table tennis veteran Achanta Sharath Kamal will lead the 112-strong Indian contingent as flag-bearers. The team aims to surpass their previous best of seven medals, achieved at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

In a promising start, India's men's archery team secured direct qualification to the quarter-finals, finishing third in the ranking round on Thursday. The women's archery team also advanced to the quarter-finals after placing fourth in their ranking round.

The opening ceremony, expected to last over three hours, is being orchestrated by French theatre director Thomas Jolly. As Paris prepares to host its third Summer Olympics, the city's landmarks and citizens eagerly await the commencement of this global sporting spectacle.