Metro Manila, Philippines — Filipino athletes begin their quest for glory as they join the traditional parade of nations at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris early Saturday morning, July 27 (Manila time).
Instead of the oval parade, 10,500 delegates at the 33rd Olympiad took a boat ride down the Seine River.
It’s the centennial year for the Philippines after its Olympic debut also in Paris in 1924.
Boxers Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam led the Philippine contingent in the ceremony as flag bearers. While the Philippines has 22 athletes, only 11 of them and some officials joined the opening ceremony as others train for the first day of competitions.
READ: Meet the Filipino athletes competing in the Paris 2024 Olympics
Filipino Olympians donned the warrior-inspired “Sinag” Barong created by renowned Filipino designer Francis Libiran.
‘ ‘6’: ‘contentWidth’: ‘fit-content’ ’embedCode’: ‘
ISANG DAANG TAONG LABAN PARA SA BAYAN!
The Philippines’ centennial team proudly don the 'Sinag Barong' in the opening ceremony of the #Paris2024 #Olympics on Saturday, July 27
📸 Philippine Olympic Committee pic.twitter.com/7tHq7T4kDH
— NewsWatch Plus PH (@newswatchplusph) July 26, 2024
French athletes and other Olympians carried the torch and was handed to Charles Coste, a former cyclist and the oldest living French Olympic champion at 100 years old.
' '14': 'contentWidth': 'fit-content' 'embedCode': '
🔥 The final torchbearers are advancing towards the Paris 2024 Olympic cauldron… @RafaelNadal @serenawilliams @Carl_Lewis @nadiacomaneci10
If you’re not already tuning in, watch the lighting moment live right here:
🔗 https://t.co/anzmcQH57U #Paris2024 #OpeningCeremony pic.twitter.com/KFtTXHtOY8— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) July 26, 2024
