July 26, 2024, Olympics news and results

Our live coverage of the Paris Olympics has moved here.

Attendees take pictures of the Eiffel Tower as lasers light up the sky during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

An opening ceremony unlike any other got the 2024 edition of the Olympic Games officially underway in Paris Friday night. It was a show that will live on in Olympic legend.

Here are five takeaways from the opening ceremony:

Paris shows off: The opportunity to put the City of Light, its culture and people on full display was well-taken Friday. The riverboats floating on the River Seine allowed for incredible Parisian scenes, as they passed storied landmarks on their journey to the end of the Parade of Nations at the Trocadero, with an Olympic-rings-adorned Eiffel Tower serving as the backdrop. The famous landmark was lit up in all its glory, a veritable beacon on what could have been a dreary night.

A photograph taken from a helicopter shows an aerial view of delegation boats navigating along the Seine during the opening ceremony.

It was a strong preview of what the rest of the Games will look like as the Games use some of the city’s most iconic landmarks as backgrounds for competition.

Rain tries to steal the show: Paris’ gray skies opened up about 30 minutes into a three-and-a-half-hour show.

Hundreds of thousands of spectators lined the banks of the River Seine clad in ponchos and rain jackets, and a canopy of umbrellas sprouted up at the first hint of raindrops. But after about an hour of rain coming down in earnest, some exposed onlookers ran for the comfort of hospitality tents and other nearby covered areas. Cameras caught the occasional thinning of the crowd along the riverside.

But the Olympic spirit did not wilt in the rain. Athletes looked beyond excited to wave to the crowds, and France truly seemed to embrace the Games.

French athletes wave flags as they sail in a boat on the river Seine.

Celine Dion returns: After a stunning light show on the Eiffel Tower, one of the most iconic singers of the last several decades made her return to performing after four years. Celine Dion has has been battling stiff person syndrome, a rare neurological condition.

Her performance of “L’Hymne à l’amour” closed the ceremony in stunning fashion. Clad in magnificent white, Dion’s performance drew goosebumps as she rolled back the years and her incredible voice echoed along the Seine.

A Paris party on a Friday night: A long dance break in the middle of the show encapsulated the vibe that much of the show took on: It was party time in the French capital.

Plenty of techno and Europop music accompanied colorful dancers wearing all sorts of rave outfits – including one singer fully painted blue singing on a bed of flowers.

The opening ceremony included performances from the heavy metal band Gojira, French mezzo-soprano opera singer Axelle Saint-Cirel, and Lady Gaga, who sang a fresh take on the song “Mon truc en plumes,” originally by iconic French artist Zizi Jeanmaire.

Aya Nakamura performs during the opening ceremony.

A magnificent torch lighting: Carried by scores of French athletes and other famous Olympians of now and yesteryear – including Zinedine Zidane, Rafael Nadal (who carried the torch on a boat down the Seine), Serena Williams (who rode next to Nadal), Carl Lewis and Tony Parker, the torch was lit by judo star Teddy Riner and 400-meter sprinter Marie-José Pérec.

And when the Olympic flame burst into its cauldron, which was attached to a giant balloon, it began to float.

A detailed view of the Olympic Cauldron in the sky behind the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel and the Louvre pyramid after being lit by torch bearers French athlete Marie-Jose Perec and French Judoka Teddy Riner.

Celine Dion performs on the Eiffel Tower as the conclusion of the opening ceremony.

From the first level of the Eiffel Tower, Celine Dion made her comeback, performing for the first time since she announced she’s living with stiff person syndrome.

Wearing a white gown covered in pearls and beads, the emotion of the moment was palpable as Dion wrapped up the 2024 opening ceremony.

Dion performed Edith Piaf’s “L’Hymne À L’Amour,” one of the French singer’s most well-known songs. Piaf released the song in 1950 for her partner, Marcel Cerdan, after he was killed in a plane crash the year before.

The torchbearers French former sprinter Marie-Jose Perec and French judoka Teddy Riner arrive to light the Olympic cauldron.

The long Olympic torch relay has come to an end with the torch’s flame igniting the cauldron.

The flame will burn in its cauldron for the next two weeks as the Paris Games play out. During the closing ceremony, it will be extinguished in Paris and then readied for the next Games. The next Olympics will take place in two years in Milan, Italy.

The torch was passed between legendary athletes Zinedine Zidane, Rafael Nadal (who carried the torch on a boat down the Seine), Serena Williams (who rode next to Nadal), Carl Lewis, Tony Parker and scores of French Olympians.

Finally, the cauldron was lit by French Olympians Teddy Riner and Marie-José Pérec.

The flame was lit after French President Emmanuel Macron declared the Games open and the Olympic oath was taken by France’s two flag bearers.

A screengrab from the Olympic Broadcasting Services shows Celine Dion performing on the Eiffel Tower tonight.

Celine Dion has taken the stage at the Olympic opening ceremony.

It’s her first performance since her diagnosis with stiff person syndrome, a rare neurological condition that causes spasms, muscle rigidity and a heightened sensitivity to stimuli, such as sound and lights.

These spasms can be strong enough to fracture bone, and any fall can lead to severe injury, experts say.

Stiff person syndrome is very rare. About 1 out of every 1 million people develop it and most general neurologists will see only one or two cases in their lifetimes. The condition can develop at any age and has been found to affect twice as many women as men.

The exact cause of stiff person syndrome isn’t clear, but research has shown it may be due to an autoimmune response gone awry in the brain and spinal cord. Pain relievers, anti-anxiety medications and muscle relaxers can be a part of treatment for this disease, and a new drug has recently been fast-tracked for development by the US Food and Drug Administration.

Dion has been upbeat about her recovery, recently praising her doctor and saying that her fear of her condition has been replaced with hope.

Spain's tennis player Rafael Nadal carries the Olympic flame.

Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal, having won the French Open a record 14 times, carried the torch with a big smile at the 2024 Summer Olympics opening ceremony.

Ahead of the Olympics, the 38-year-old said he acknowledged how much he likes Paris. 

“It’s another opportunity,” he continued. “This year I was not able to spend a lot of time at Roland Garros, so I am enjoying the fact that I am back for the Olympics. The Olympics are completely different to any other event. I’m just trying to enjoy every single moment.”

The two-time gold medalist is scheduled to face off against Hungary’s Márton Fucsovics in the first round of the men’s singles draw. He is also scheduled to play with compatriot and world No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz against Argentines Máximo González and Andrés Molteni in the men’s doubles draw. 

President Emmanuel Macron said in French: “I declare the Paris Olympic Games open.”

Let the 2024 Summer Olympics begin!

The Eiffel Tower and the Olympics rings are lit up during the ceremony.

The Olympic flag is carried into the Trocadero by Floriane Issert.

Floriane Issert, a Gendarmerie non-commissioned officer of the National Gendarmerie, carries the Olympic flag.

The Olympic flag has been raised above the Trocadéro in central Paris in an iconic moment.

Carried down the Seine along the parade route with a rider aboard a galloping steel horse, the flag was carried by a real horse bearing a different rider to the stage at the end of the route. Volunteers carrying the flags of all the nations participating in the Games fell in behind the rider, creating a movie-esque procession that carried the flag to its final destination.

The Olympic anthem rang out as the flag was raised in the cool Parisian night.

Austria's Max Kühner competing during the Global Champions League 1.55m Round 1 Team Competition of the Longines Global Champions Tour in Stockholm, Sweden, on June 29.

Austrian show jumper Max Kühner, who is slated to compete in equestrian jumping events at the Paris Olympic Games, is facing accusations of animal cruelty in Germany.

PETA Germany filed a criminal complaint against Kühner, 50, with the public prosecutor’s office in Munich last September, over allegations he’d violated the country’s animal welfare act by engaging in what’s called “active poling” in May 2023.

The technique, which is also referred to as barring, involves using a pole to hit a horse’s legs during a jump, forcing it to lift higher.

Kühner appealed, and it’s unclear if or when the case will go to trial, the court said.

The OEPS is standing behind Kühner and said a motion to dismiss the case has been filed, noting that “the presumption of innocence applies!”

Kühner’s lawyer, in a letter to the OPES, said PETA’s allegations “have no basis whatsoever. None of our client’s horses were harmed at any time.”

The Austrian Olympic Committee referred CNN to the statement from the OEPS, whose president, Elisabeth Max-Theurer, suggested the 2023 accusations were surfaced before the Olympics deliberately, because media attention would be high.

The International Equestrian Federation (FEI) told CNN it had contacted both the national federations of Germany and Austria for more information. The FEI added that it will wait for the German legal process to run its course before taking any further steps.

Meanwhile, PETA Germany has called for Kühner, whose first event is scheduled for Monday, to be excluded from the Paris Olympics.

CNN’s Benjamin Brown contributed to this report.

French singer Juliette Armanet and French pianist Sofiane Pamart perform as they sail in a boat along the river Seine 

Pianist Sofiane Pamart and singer Juliette Armanet just performed a rendition of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s “Imagine” — while on a vessel in the Seine with a piano that had flames coming out of the top.

After the song concluded, “We all stand and call for peace” flashed on screens in English.

A person on a robotic horse carrying a flag displaying the Olympic rings is seen during the opening ceremony.

The silhouetted torch bearer has now got onto the Seine and is on a steel horse that is riding down the Seine on a boat.

It is dark outside, and the horse is lit up as it travels down the river.

The silhouetted torch bearer is wearing an Olympic flag.

Smoke billows near windows as performers participate during the opening ceremony today.

A lot happened in this opening ceremony, and it certainly kept us all on our toes for the full performance.

If you’re just joining us, here are some of the wildest moments you might have missed.

Silhouette swings on Notre Dame spiral: For TV viewers at home, a silhouette was seen curled up around a spiral on the Notre Dame Cathedral — a nod to “the Hunchback of Notre-Dame”, according to the Olympics website. The book was written by France’s Victor Hugo and the main character, Quasimodo, lived in the bell tower of the cathedral.

A masked acrobat scales the city: For the entirety of the ceremony, a faceless figure ran throughout the streets of Paris holding the torch. It’s not clear exactly who was under the mask, but toward the end of the ceremony, the mysterious person did flips (while still holding the Olympic torch, of course).

A torch bearer runs atop the Musee d'Orsay today in Paris during the opening ceremony.

A metal band and Marie Antoinette heads: The Olympics opening ceremony depicted scenes from the French Revolution, and then cut to a guillotined Marie Antoinette at the Conciergerie, the site where the last French queen prior to the revolution was imprisoned.

The camera zoomed out to show rock musicians harnessed to balconies and windows across the building, playing heavy metal music, while fire flames went up.

Even the minions made an appearance: An animated video showed the yellow characters hard at work underneath the Seine to keep the Olympic ceremony going.

And throughout it all, it poured: And as all of this unfolded, the dancers battled pouring rain as the Seine – and the streets of Paris – were drenched – including our reporters who had to seek shelter indoors.

For the first time in the history of the Summer Olympics, the opening ceremony is taking place outside of a stadium. Athletes are parading down the Seine River on boats, passing some of Paris’ most iconic landmarks.

Click here to see more scenes from this unique celebration.

The colors of the French national flag are seen at the start of the ceremony.

People stand on balconies in Paris to watch the ceremony.

Athletes from the United States travel down the Seine River in Paris during the Olympics opening ceremony.

Lady Gaga performs during the ceremony. She had a fresh take on the song “Mon truc en plumes” by iconic French artist Zizi Jeanmaire.

French athletes wave flags as they travel down the Seine River during the Olympics opening ceremony.

Performers take part in the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 on July 26, 2024 in Paris, France.

A performer sits on a bridge in Paris during the opening ceremony 

United States' flagbearers Coco Gauff and Lebron James, front right, along with teammates ride along the Seine River during the opening ceremony.

As dark skies fell over the Trocadéro, Team USA was on a boat, parading at the opening ceremony, with NBA superstar LeBron James and tennis phenom Coco Gauff leading as the flag bearers.

Gauff, the 20-year-old youngest flag bearer, said it meant “a lot” to her to be representing the USA.

“To be with the GOAT here, Mr. LeBron James,” Gauff told the NBC broadcast. “It means a lot. I’m so excited and I can’t wait to do well in the games.”

James, a two-time gold medalist, called it an “honor” to be voted a flag bearer by his compatriot athletes.

Sprinter Noah Lyles, who is the current 100-meter world champion and known as the “world’s fastest man,” was seen on the boat, clapping his hands and chanting “USA, USA, USA.” Fellow 100-meter sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson was all smiles ahead of her first Games. 

Other notable athletes seen on the boat: four-time NBA champion Steph Curry and WNBA stars Brittney Griner and A’ja Wilson.

Correction: This post has been updated to reflect that sprinter Noah Lyles is the current 100-meter world champion.

Ionela Livia Cozmiuc and Marius Vasile Cozmiuc, flagbearers for Team Romania, wave the flag along the River Seine.

Romanian rowing athletes Ionela-Livia Cozmiuc and Marius Cozmiuc are the flag bearers for their country at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony and also the first couple ever to do so.

About the couple’s athletic record: Marius Cozmiuc won a silver medal in the coxless pairs for Romania at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Ionela-Livia Cozmiuc is a two-time Olympian in double sculls (sixth in 2020, eighth in 2016), two-time lightweight sculls world champion (2017, 2018) and the 2022 World Championships single sculls gold medalist.

Models present creations while walking a catwalk erected along the Passerelle Debilly bridge as the boat carrying the delegations of Romania and Rwanda sails underneath along the Seine river.

A fashion show broke out during the Olympic Games opening ceremony on a covered bridge near the Eiffel Tower.

Models donning an array of looks — including a red, white and blue bedazzled jumpsuit, a pink ruffled gown and more — strutted down the runway.

At the end of the fashion showcase, the catwalk turned into a dance floor, with some of the models breaking into a choreographed number. One of the models even walked down the runway en pointe in ballet shoes.

Axelle Saint-Cirel is seen performing The Marseillaise on the roof of the Grand-Palais.

As the ceremony continued, French mezzo-soprano opera singer Axelle Saint-Cirel stood on top of the Grand Palais and sang La Marseillaise — France’s national anthem.

Saint-Cirel wore a white dress and held a large French flag.

The Grand Palais is a historic site located near Paris’ Champs-Élysées which underwent significant restorative work specifically to host this year’s Olympic Games.

Dancers perform on a roof during the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games.

The rain has taken over. Scores of spectators at the Olympic opening ceremony are fleeing for cover as the rain continued to pour in Paris.

Organizers surely counted on better weather — perhaps an iconic moment of the sun setting behind the Eiffel Tower as athletes floated down the Seine. But athletes and spectators alike are being forced to deal with less than ideal conditions.

Smaller boats in the Seine carrying athletes are rocking with the waves on the current, and dancers who are performing on the banks are visibly slipping as they keep their footing.

There’s no sign of it letting up, either: Radar forecasts the rain to get even harder as the night goes on. But as the sun sets, the lights that give Paris its famous nickname are beginning to be seen along the city’s skyline.

It all ensures what organizers hoped for, but maybe not in the way they wanted: An opening ceremony to be remembered.

Aya Nakamura performs during Vogue World: Paris at Place Vendome on June 23 in Paris.

Aya Nakamura was born in the former French colony of Mali, raised in France and is widely considered the most streamed female Francophone artist in the world.

The 28-year-old, as well as being Malian, is a French citizen, and a multiple-platinum-selling pop star who was brought up in the Parisian suburbs. However, ahead of Paris 2024, Nakamura found herself at the center of France’s culture wars.

Amid widespread rumors the singer would perform at the Games’ Opening Ceremony, singing an Edith Piaf song, some members of France’s far-right questioned whether she embodied French heritage, values and identity. Piaf is a key figure in France’s musical – and national – identity.

“There’s no way Aya. This is Paris, not the market in Bamako,” said fringe and extreme far-right group Les Natifs (Natives) on X, formerly known as Twitter, in March, referring to Mali’s capital.

Nakamura has defended herself on social media, saying on X: “I’m becoming the number one state subject in debates …but what do I really owe you all? Nothing.”

The singer has received support from Rachida Dati, France’s Minister of Culture, who spoke out in defence of Nakamura, saying “be careful of the pretext of attacking someone out of pure racism.”

Read more about how the far-right responded to Nakamura opening the Olympics here.

Performers are pictured by the river Seine during the floating parade in the opening ceremony.

The Olympics opening ceremony depicted scenes from the French Revolution, and then cut to a guillotined Marie Antoinette at the Conciergerie, the site where the last French queen prior to the revolution was imprisoned.

The camera zoomed out to show rock musicians harnessed to balconies and windows across the building, playing heavy metal music, while fire flames went up.

Then, red streamers burst out of the windows all at once, appearing like blood flowing into River Seine.

It’s a magnificent sight as France celebrates its tradition of liberté, a fundamental right enshrined in the French Constitution after the revolution.