Théo Curin's “Phrygian” taxi
The opening ceremony began with the screening of a film featuring disabled swimmer Théo Curin. In this first sequence, Théo Curin, 24, drives a red taxi to give the floor to the athletes of the French team.
A quadruple amputee at the age of six following meningitis, the swimmer was the main face of disability sports in France before abandoning competition. He participated in his first Paralympic Games at the age of 16 in Rio in 2016, then became a double world runner-up in 2017. Since then he turned to animation.
This video thus takes the principle of his show “Théo le taxi”, broadcast every Thursday on France 3, before the Paris Games. Special feature this time: his taxi is completely covered, inside and out, with Phryges soft toys of various sizes, the red mascot of the Paris Games inspired by the Phrygian cap and equipped with a prosthetic leg in its Paralympic version.
Chris takes over Piaf
After pianist Chilly Gonzalez, it was Chris (ex-Christine and the Queens) who took over with a very rhythmic electro pop version of Edith Piaf's “Non, je ne regrette rien”.
The Patrouille de France show in the sky of Paris
The Patrouille de France flew over the Champs-Élysées to greet the parade of Paralympic athletes, calling out the Paris sky in blue, white and red.
Arrival of the French delegation
150 French para-athletes completed the parade of 168 delegates on “Les Champs-Élysées” by Joe Dassin, then Johnny Hallyday, Charles Aznavour and Yann Tiersen.
Lucky love
After the parade of delegations, Lucky Love performed “My Ability”an original creation for this ceremony. The artist from Lille, who suffers from agenesis, a malformation that caused him to be born without a left arm, sings in English “What's wrong with my body? Am I not enough? “. An emotional moment.
Tribute to Paralympic athletes
In a painting called “Sportography”, able-bodied and disabled dancers, led by Musa Motha, a South African dancer with an amputated left leg, come together to create new sports. A way to support Inclusive Games.
A torch relay with “Bolero”
Florent Manaudou, flag bearer of the French delegation during the Olympics, is the first torch bearer to carry the flame during the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games on Wednesday evening in the Place de la Concorde. The swimmer passed the flame, which was supposed to ignite the pool of the Tuileries garden moments later, to a collective of 12 international para-athletes, including Michaël Jeremiasz, head of the French delegation for Paris 2024, while Ravel's “Bolero”.
Five athletes to light the Olympic cauldron
Nantenin Keïta, para-athlete specializing in 400 meters, Alexis Hanquinquant, para-triathlete, Charles-Antoine Kouakou, 400 meters runner, table tennis player Fabien Lamirault and swimmer Elodie Lorandi lit the Olympic cauldron in the Tuileries Gardens.
A great finish with Chris
In the final act of the night, called “Celebration”, Chris (ex-Christine and the Queens) reappeared on the stage of Place de la Concorde to perform a wild cover of Patrick Hernandez's “Born to Be Alive”.