Day 1 – Paris 2024 Rocks Ceremony, First Medals on Rainy Saturday

After an opening ceremony for the ages, athletes at the Paris 2024 Olympics are in action in the first full day of competition.

China wins the first gold medal of the Games in the 10 meter air pistol. The shooting event is traditionally the first where medals are awarded. More to come through the day in shooting.

The opening ceremony Friday drew a record crowd for the event. As many as 300,000 spectators lined the banks of the Seine. Fears about security lapses were unwarranted with not even minor incidents breaking the spell of fantasy and fancy cast in the four-hour production. Rain was an unwelcome feature of the evening from beginning to end but failed to cause more than annoyance by show producers. For spectators who braved the wet weather, their soggy duds were viewed as a badge of distinction.

The Olympic flag raised at the Trocadero was hoisted upside down, maybe the only noticeable glitch in the protocol portion of the ceremony.

The first day of swimming drew a full house at the 6,000 seat aquatics center for the morning heats. The same is expected tonight for the first medal races of the aquatics program.

IOC President Thomas Bach will head to Stade de France Saturday night for the medal matches in rugby sevens.

Weather is expected to improve in the days ahead with warmer temperatures in the range of 25c.