Jamaica on Olympics display
Kelly: Island’s brand to be well represented at historic Paris Games opening
Published:Friday | July 26, 2024 | 12:10 AMDaniel Wheeler/Gleaner Writer
PARIS, France:
Chef de Mission for Jamaica’s team to the 2024 Olympics in Paris, France, Ian Kelly, has promised that the world will be enthralled by the island’s flair during today’s opening ceremony.
The Olympics officially opens today, starting at 12:30 p.m. Jamaica time, with a worldwide television audience witnessing a historic first for the Games, a ceremony on the River Seine.
With a unique ceremony of this nature, Kelly said Jamaica’s vibrant culture will be visible through the athletes and that he was confident that the brand would be represented well.
“As a brand we are known for our flair, we are known for our excitement. And I know that based on the design of our kits and the frame of mind of the athletes, we will showcase the brand in a way that Jamaicans will be proud of,” Kelly told The Gleaner.
The more than 10,000 athletes will be paraded on boats starting from the Austerlitz Bridge and will pass by iconic landmarks such as the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Louvre museum. Additionally, they will pass some Games sites, including the Esplanade des Invalides [Archery and Road Cycling] and the Grand Palais [Fencing, Taekwondo].
More than 200 countries will be displayed on almost 100 boats. The larger countries have boats to themselves while the others will share vessels.
The athletes will progress along the six-kilometre stretch of the Seine before arriving at the Trocadero Gardens, across from the Eiffel Tower, where the Olympic Cauldron will be lit.
Two-time World Championship triple jump silver medallist Shanieka Ricketts and swimmer Josh Kirlew are Jamaica’s flag bearers for the proceedings, leading the entry of the country’s more than 60-member contingent.
As for the performances expected for the proceedings, multiGrammy-winner Celine Dion and Lady Gaga are rumoured to be taking part in a duet during the celebrations.