There were 24 French athletes carrying the Olympic torch, but it was a special duo who had the honour of lighting the cauldron.
The torch’s final journey began with football legend Zinedine Zidane and was eventually handed over to two French Olympic heroes who have won three Olympic gold medals each.
Track and field star Marie-Josée Perec and judoka Teddy Riner lit the cauldron, which, like other parts of the opening ceremony, had a French twist.
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Marie-Josée Perec and Teddy Riner light the Olympic flame during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. (Marijane Murat/Photo Alliance via Getty Images)
The two lit a torch in a 100-foot-tall hot air balloon, marking the first flight of a hydrogen balloon in 1783.
The 56-year-old Pelec won gold medals in the 400 meters at both the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and the 200 meters four years later in Atlanta, as well as gold in the 200 meters in 1996. At the time, her time of 48.25 seconds for the 400 meters in 1996 was the Olympic record.
Torchbearers Marie-Josée Perec and Teddy Riner light the Olympic cauldron in the Tuileries Garden during the Opening Ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris on July 26, 2024. (Al Bello/Getty Images)
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Riner won gold medals in the men’s over 100 kg category at the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Olympics, and won again in the mixed team event in Tokyo. The 35-year-old has won 12 gold medals at world championships, including one last year. This year he will begin competing on August 2nd in pursuit of his fourth Olympic gold medal.
It will be the second consecutive Summer Olympics that an athlete competing in that year’s Olympics will light the cauldron: In 2021, Naomi Osaka lit the cauldron before competing in Tokyo.
Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams, Nadia Comaneci and Tony Parker served as torch bearers ahead of the official lighting.
The Paris skyline after the Olympic cauldron is lit by torchbearers Marie-Josee Perec and Teddy Riner during the Opening Ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris on July 26, 2024. (Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
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The ceremony took place on Friday, but the events began on Wednesday and included: American Women’s Soccer Victory over Zambia.
The first medal event begins on Saturday.
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