PICTURES: 20 photos from the opening ceremony of Paris 2024 as Olympic Games get underway

Ahead, of the first official day of competition at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games hundreds of millions of people across the world watched the spectacular opening ceremony.

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For the first time, the ceremony did not take place in a stadium as more than 300,000 people gathered along the River Seine as a flotilla of 85 boats and barges carried the team delegations on a six-kilometre journey through the centre of Paris.

The flag-bearers for the 133-strong Irish team were golfer Shane Lowry from Offaly and hurdler Sarah Lavin from Limerick.

This Saturday is set to be a bumper day for Team Ireland as athletes from ten sports will be in action.

Events set to feature Irish athletes include Eventing (Dressage), Hockey, Swimming, Rowing, Canoe Slalom, Road Cycling, Boxing, Badminton, Gymnastics, and the Men’s Rugby Sevens team return to the pitch. 

| July 27

A big day for Team Ireland, after the official opening of the Olympic Games we’re excited to get stuck in

Don’t miss any of the action, live on RTE2 #TeamIreland | #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/PCMqOqJ3WT

— Team Ireland (@TeamIreland) July 27, 2024

During last night's opening ceremony, sporting greats Zinedine Zidane, Serena Williams, Rafael Nadal, Carl Lewis and pop stars Lady Gaga, and Celine Dion were among those to lend the event star power.

World leaders, including Taoiseach Simon Harris, watched the ceremony from their vantage point in the Shadow of the Eiffel Tower and, despite heavy rain at times, there were rapturous scenes when the Olympic Flame was lit marking the official opening of the games which will continue for the next 16 days.