සේන් නදියේ සිදුවන ඔලිම්පික් සූදානම

Olympic opening ceremony rehearsal held on River Seine

Dozens of boats cruised along the Seine River in Paris on Monday as part of a rehearsal for the opening ceremony of the upcoming Olympic Games, as organizers stay on course with their ambitious plans to stage a unique open-air parade to get the sporting showpiece underway.

For the first time during a summer edition of the Olympics, the opening ceremony will take place outside of the main stadium, with Paris organizers putting together a special program for the July 26 event which takes in many sights across the French capital.

According to organizers, more than 80 boats will transport the 205 team delegations comprising some 10,000 athletes along the Seine, sailing six kilometers through multiple Parisian bridges and against the backdrop of many well-known landmarks before reaching the historic Pont d'Iena.

The final part of the ceremony will be staged in the open garden of the Jardin du Trocadero, situated across from the iconic Eiffel Tower, which has already been adorned with the famous five Olympic rings.

The grand opening ceremony is expected to last nearly four hours and will allow over 100,000 spectators to see the athletes up close on the riverbank, while another 220,000 spectators are expected to watch the event from grandstands set up farther from the water.

Despite security concerns, Thierry Reboul, the executive director for ceremonies, has confirmed that the plans for holding the opening ceremony on the Seine River remain on course. French President Emmanuel Macron had earlier said organizers have prepared alternatives and touted the possibility of relocating the ceremony to the 80,000-capacity Stade de France if necessary.

The Paris Olympic Games are scheduled to take place from July 26 to August 11, with the Paralympics following soon after from August 28 to September 8.

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