Paris 2024 Runs Tests on Seine to Create Olympics Opening Ceremony to Remember

A Peniche boat sails past the Eiffel Tower on the River Seine on July 17, 2023, during a parade to test "maneuvers", "distances", "duration" and "video capture" of the future opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics in 2024. (AFP)
A Peniche boat sails past the Eiffel Tower on the River Seine on July 17, 2023, during a parade to test "maneuvers", "distances", "duration" and "video capture" of the future opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics in 2024. (AFP)
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Paris 2024 Runs Tests on Seine to Create Olympics Opening Ceremony to Remember

A Peniche boat sails past the Eiffel Tower on the River Seine on July 17, 2023, during a parade to test "maneuvers", "distances", "duration" and "video capture" of the future opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics in 2024. (AFP)
A Peniche boat sails past the Eiffel Tower on the River Seine on July 17, 2023, during a parade to test "maneuvers", "distances", "duration" and "video capture" of the future opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics in 2024. (AFP)

A flotilla of 39 boats sailed from the Austerlitz Bridge to the foot of the Eiffel Tower on Monday morning as Paris 2024 organizers tested the 6 km (3.7 mile) route along the Seine River that will kick off the 2024 Summer Olympic Games.

The opening ceremony, expected to draw at least 600,000 spectators and see 50 boats sailing the route, will be the first one in the history of the Summer Olympics to be held outside a stadium.

"We learned today that it's technically feasible", head of the organizing committee Tony Estanguet said, adding they were also able to test how much time is needed between the boats and how to solve potential issues like boat engine problems.

"We just tried to do something different," events and ceremonies director Thierry Reboul said. "If you want people to remember the games, you need to offer them something they have never seen before", adding people will be welcomed to the 2024 Olympic games "as they have never been welcomed before".

While the lower part of the riverbank will be subject to ticketing, there will be free access to the upper part.



‘Unbelievable’ Odegaard Transforms Arsenal and Gets Saka Smiling Again

 Soccer Football - Champions League - Sporting CP v Arsenal - Estadio Jose Alvalade, Lisbon, Portugal - November 26, 2024 Arsenal's Martin Odegaard Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge
Soccer Football - Champions League - Sporting CP v Arsenal - Estadio Jose Alvalade, Lisbon, Portugal - November 26, 2024 Arsenal's Martin Odegaard Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge
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‘Unbelievable’ Odegaard Transforms Arsenal and Gets Saka Smiling Again

 Soccer Football - Champions League - Sporting CP v Arsenal - Estadio Jose Alvalade, Lisbon, Portugal - November 26, 2024 Arsenal's Martin Odegaard Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge
Soccer Football - Champions League - Sporting CP v Arsenal - Estadio Jose Alvalade, Lisbon, Portugal - November 26, 2024 Arsenal's Martin Odegaard Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge

The goals are flying in again for Arsenal — and it just happens to coincide with the return from injury of Martin Odegaard.

Make that eight goals in two games since the international break for Arsenal after its 5-1 hammering of Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League on Tuesday, tying the English team’s heaviest ever away win in the competition.

Odegaard is back in Arsenal’s team after missing two months with an ankle injury. In that time, Mikel Arteta’s attack stuttered, with a 2-0 loss to Bournemouth and a 1-0 defeat at Newcastle dropping the Gunners well off the pace in the Premier League. There was also a 0-0 draw at Atalanta in the Champions League as well as a 1-0 loss to Inter Milan last month, when Odegaard made his comeback from injury as an 89th-minute substitute.

Since then, Arsenal hasn’t lost and the goals have returned. After a 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday came the cruise in Lisbon — and Odegaard was at the heart of everything as Sporting’s unbeaten start to the season came to an end.

“He’s an unbelievable player,” Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka said of Odegaard. “The day he returned, there was a big smile on my face. You can see the chemistry we have. I hope he stays fit for the rest of the season.”

Odegaard was involved in the build-up to Arsenal’s first two goals against Sporting — scored by Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz — and was fouled to win the penalty converted by Saka in the 65th to restore Arsenal’s three-goal lead at 4-1.

Odegaard was seen flexing his leg after that but continued untroubled and was substituted in the 78th minute.

The last thing Arteta would want now is another injury to Odegaard as Arsenal attempts to reel in first-place Liverpool in the Premier League. Liverpool is already nine points ahead of fourth-place Arsenal after 12 games.