The opening ceremony for the Paris Olympics is set to begin shortly (Jul. 26).
In a break from tradition, approximately 6,800 athletes will parade on over 90 boats along the Seine River for 6 kilometers (3.7 miles), marking the start of the ceremony rather than its conclusion.
The 33rd Olympiad will officially commence following the opening ceremony, which starts at 7:30 PM (UTC +1).
All 54 African countries have sent delegations this year.
In 2020, the International Olympic Committee mandated that national delegations have two flag bearers—one male and one female—to promote gender parity. However, not all countries have adhered to this rule so far.
Names are written in this order: Male ; Female athletes
U = Unannounced
Algeria – ALG
Yasser Triki (Athletics) ; Amina Belhadi (Judo)
Angola – ANG
Azenaide Carlos (handball)
Benin – BEN
Valentin Houinato (judo) ; Noélie Yarigo (athlétisme)
Botswana – BOT
U
Burkina Faso – BUR
Hugues Fabrice Zango (Athletics)
Burundi – BDI
Belly Crésus Ganira (swimming) ; Ange Ciella Niragira (Judo)
Cameroon – CMR
Cabo Verde – CPV
Daniel Varela de Pina (boxing) ; Djamila Correia Silva (judo)
David Pina e Djamila Correia Sila e deixou palavras de encorajamento aos atletas.
Central African Republic – CAF
Nadia Guimendego (judo)
Chad – CHA
U
Comoros – COM
U
(The) Congo – CGO
(F) Natacha Ngoye Akamabi (Athletics)
Democratic Republic of the Congo – COD
Arnold Kisoka (Judo)
Côte d’Ivoire – CIV
Cheick Sallah Cissé (taekwondo) ; Marie-Josée Ta Lou (Athletics)
Djibouti – DJI
U
Egypt – EGY
Ahmed El-Gendy (Modern pentathlon) ; Sara (Ahmed) Samir (weightlifting)
Eritrea – ERI
U
Eswatini – SWZ
Chadd Ning (Swimming) Hayley Hoy (swimming)
Ethiopia – ETH
U
Gabon – GAB
U
Gambia – GAM
Faye Njie (Judo) Gina Mariam Bass Bittaye (Athletics)
Ghana – GHA
(M) Joseph Amoah (athlétisme)
Guinea – GUI
(M) Naby Keïta (Football)
Guinea-Bissau – GBS
U
Equatorial Guinea – GEQ
U
Kenya – KEN
Ferdinand Omanyala (Athletics) ; Trizah Atuka (Volleyball)
Lesotho – LES
Tebello Ramakongoana (Athletics) ; Michelle Tau (taekwondo)
Liberia – LBR
Emmanuel Matadi (Athletics) and Olympic debutant Thelma Davies (Athletics)
Libya – LBA
U
Madagascar – MAD
Rosinah Randafiarison (Weightlifting)
Malawi – MAW
U
Mali – MLI
Alexien Kouma (Swimming) ; Fatma Marine Kamara (Boxing)
Morocco – MAR
Yessin Rahmouni (Equestrian) ; Ines Laklalech (Golf)
Mauritius – MRI
Mauritania – MTN
Camil Doua (swimming)
Mozambique – MOZ
Matthew Lawrence (swimming) – Alcinda Panguana (boxing)
Namibia – NAM
Alex Miller (cyclisme) ; Vera Looser (cyclisme)
Niger – NIG
Nigeria – NGR
(F) Tobi Amusan , Nigeria’s Queen of Track and the World Record holder in the 100m Women’s Hurdles,
Uganda – UGA
Charles Kagimu (Cycling) ; Gloria Muzito (Swimming)
Rwanda – RWA
Eric Manizabayo (Cycling) ; Clementine Mukandanga (Athletics)
Sao Tome and Principe – STP
Senegal – SEN
Seychelles – SEY
Sierra Leone – SLE
Celebrating their independence fay
Somalia – SOM
South Africa – RSA
Akani Simbine (Athletics) ; Caitlin Rooskrantz (Gymnastics)
South Sudan – SSD
Sudan – SUD
United Republic of Tanzania – TAN
Togo – TOG
Tunisia – TUN
Salim Jemaï (canoë) ; Khadija Krimi (aviron)
Zambia – ZAM
Muzala Samukonga (Athletics) ; Margret Tembo (Boxing)
Zimbabwe – ZIM
Approximately 10,500 athletes will compete across 32 sports in 329 events at the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad Paris 2024 from 26 July to 11 August.
In addition to the athletes who will participate in the parade, 3,000 dancers, artists and other athletes will be featured in the opening and closing ceremonies. Most of the entertainment acts remain under wraps. It was reported that French-Malian star Aya Nakamura, Celine Dion and Lady Gaga are among those amid who will perform at the opening ceremony.
