Paris 2024 Olympics off to rough start with sabotaged trains and weather

PARIS (AP) — Celebrating its reputation as a cradle of revolution, Paris kicked off its first Summer Olympics in a century on Friday with a rule-breaking opening ceremony studded with stars and fantasy, showcasing the city’s resilience as authorities dealt with suspected acts of sabotage that targeted France’s high-speed rail network.

Widespread travel disruptions triggered by what French officials said were coordinated arson attacks on high-speed rail lines and rains in Paris had dampened the mood ahead of the ceremony.

But as global audiences tuned in, the show’s spectacular launch at 7:30 p.m. lifted spirits. A humorous short film featured soccer icon Zinedine Zidane. Plumes of French blue, white and red smoke followed. And Lady Gaga sang, in French, with dancers shaking pink plumed pompoms, adding a cabaret feel to the start of what is expected to be a more than three-hour show.

Crowds crammed along the River Seine and watching from balconies “oohed” and “ahhed” as Olympic teams began parading in boats along the waterway.

The stakes for France were immense. Dozens of heads of state and government were in town and the world was watching as Paris turned itself into a giant open-air theater.

Paris’ ceremony was unfurling along the River Seine, turning the city’s iconic monuments into stages for dancers, singers and other artists.

Rains that soaked spectators and athletes and travel chaos in Paris train stations highlighted the risks of Paris’ bold choices. The sprawling ceremony gave organizers bigger crowds to transport, organize and safeguard than would have been the case if they’d followed the example of previous Olympic host cities that opened with stadium shows.

Still, as the show got underway, optimism soared that Paris – true to its motto that speaks of being unsinkable – might just win its gambles.

While evening rains forecast by national weather service Meteo France shouldn’t delay the ceremony and many of its planned surprises, Paris organizers had been crossing their fingers for clear skies to assist with their vision of showcasing the city and its iconic monuments.

Wet weather could make the ceremony a more fatiguing experience for the thousands of Olympians parading on boats on the Seine River and the hundreds of thousands of spectators on its banks and bridges — many more than could have been squeezed into France’s national stadium.

Paris organizers said they expect 6,800 of the 10,500 athletes will attend before they embark on the next 16 days of competition.

“Of course when you organize an outdoor spectacle, you prefer good weather,” the Paris Games’ chief organizer, Tony Estanguet, said on France Inter radio.

But the ceremony “was thought out so it can be held in the rain,” he said.

“It will perhaps be a bit different,” he added. “We’ll adapt.”

Some spectators who followed organizers’ advice to arrive well ahead of time along the ceremony route fumed over long waits to get to their seats.

“Paris has been great, anything to do with the Olympics and dissemination of information has been horrible,” said Tony…