Two people were killed by gunfire near Olympic sites in Rio, Brazil on the Games’ opening day on Friday, police reported.
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Overall, the atmosphere in the Maracana was celebratory, as a succession of actors, dancers and musicians raced through routines meant to showcase Brazil’s culture, diversity and history, even finding time for a brief lecture on environmental issues.
More than 10,000 athletes from 206 countries, plus a team of refugees competing under the Olympic flag, will compete in 28 sports. Their flag-bearer, Rose Nathike Lokonyen, fled war in South Sudan and ran her first race in a refugee camp in northern Kenya.
Following tradition, Greece – as the birthplace of the Olympics – was first to walk into the stadium for the parade of nations, and Brazil, as the host, entered last.
With “USA” emblazoned on the back of his jacket, Michael Phelps carried the flag for the US team, the largest with 549 competitors.
The 18-time gold medalist was named flag bearer for the Team USA earlier this week. The country also continues to battle chronic violence, and its three largest cities-São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Salvador-are home to some of the world’s greatest wealth disparities between rich and poor. It certainly did so with beauty and grace; with samba and pop, Grammy award winners Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil.
Downtown’s was lit by a runner after the opening ceremony finished: part of an attempt to involve the city in an event which, given its difficulties, many have protested is a gross extravagance.
Brazilian officials wanted this cauldron smaller than most, a reminder to reduce global warming caused by fossil fuels and greenhouse gases.
The Rio Olympics officially started with a long and loud celebration of Brazilian culture that also featured some unfortunate reminders of the troubled backdrop to these Games.
This was not the case for the opening ceremony orchestrated by “City of God” director Fernando Meirelles, who chose to depict the colonization of Brazil, as well as the importation of African slaves and the importance of indigenous populations, since each played a vital role in the building of the country as it stands today.
The cauldron was designed by American sculptor Anthony Howe, who told The Associated Press he was inspired by life in the tropics.
Change for good was a major theme of the opening. Despite years of economic prosperity and hope, a corruption scandal has reached the highest levels of government, encircling president Dilma Rousseff and helping to plunge Brazil into its worst recession in a century. “Brazil is not a grand nation. They’re saying in this ceremony, we are who we are, with a lot of social problems, a lot of crises in the political system, etc”.
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The Russians, who were widely expected to fall victim to booing as their athletes entered the Maracana, did not end up being jeered by those in attendance. There will be 207 species of seeds planted, one for each country participating in the Games.
