Glittering ceremony launches Rio Games

RIO DE JANEIRO: Fireworks and laser-lit choreography launched the Rio Games on Friday as Brazil sought to forget seven years of troubled preparations and the Olympic movement temporarily put aside the doping crisis.

Under the gaze of Rio’s Christ the Redeemer statue, 78,000 people packed into the Maracana Stadium to watch the four-hour party with Michael Phelps and other sporting superstars taking centre-stage in South America’s first Olympics.

Brazilian singer Paulinho da Viola sang the national anthem to set off the show of laser lights and elaborate dances highlighting Brazil’s history and rise as an emerging power.

Supermodel Gisele Bundchen strutted into the arena to the iconic “Girl From Ipanema” before Greece, home of the ancient Olympics, took its traditional place at the head of the athletes’ parade.

More than 10,000 athletes from 207 teams took part, with the biggest cheers reserved for the specially formed refugee team and the joyous Brazilian contingent.

Iran’s flag bearer was Zahra Nemati, their first ever female flag-carrier who will compete in archery despite being paralysed in both legs.

The Russian delegation, battling allegations of state-backed doping, got only lukewarm applause when they entered the stadium.

Each athlete was presented with a seed and a cartridge of soil to enable them to plant a native tree of Brazil, which will ultimately form an “Athletes Forest” made up of 207 different species — one for each delegation.

Indigenous tribes and dueling dance groups were among the highlights of a show low on technology but high on invention.

The evening’s overwhelming theme was environmental protection. An early opening sequence depicted the birth of life, culminating in the sprouting of a green entanglement of leaves from the stadium floor depicting the Amazon rainforest.

Indigenous Brazilians then performed dances before creating huge “Ocas” or native huts in the center of the stage.

All eyes will be on American swimming star Phelps, the most decorated Olympian in history, when he returns to the pool in the first week.

Track and field will see Jamaica’s Bolt aim to defend his 100m, 200m and 4x100m crowns by clinching all three for the third straight Games.

Gymnastics could unearth a new heroine in America’s teenage star Simone Biles, while rugby and golf return to the Olympic programme after gaps of 92 years and 112 years respectively.

Organisers said the ceremony aimed to send a message of tolerance and respect.

Brazil has spent more than $10 billion on new infrastructure and preparing for the Games at a time of economic crisis.

The billions lavished on the Games has angered many Brazilians as the country grapples with a tanking economy and mass social problems.

The ceremony launches 17 days of sporting drama led by a cast of elite athletes including sprint king Usain Bolt and swimming superstar Phelps which wraps up on August 21.

A vast security blanket of 85,000 military and police — twice the number on duty at the 2012 London Games — will be draped over the city to ward off the threat of street crime and terror attacks.

That has not been able to offer total protection, with a spate of thefts from the athletes’ village. The Danish, Chinese and Australian delegations have all reported items stolen. Journalists’ cameras and laptops have also been targeted for thefts.