In a summer season of sports activities highlights there’s nonetheless another main occasion to get underway – the Paris Olympic Video games.

The Wimbledon tennis match and the Euros 2024 could also be over, with Spain victorious in every, however there’s nonetheless an opportunity for Britain to take pleasure in some sporting success in Europe this yr.

The French capital shall be internet hosting the Olympics Video games in only a matter of weeks.

With preparations in full swing, we check out what to anticipate and when.

When do the Paris Olympics begin?

The Video games formally begin on Friday 26 July, when the opening ceremony is held.

However there are a variety of Olympic sporting occasions being held on the 2 days earlier than this date.

On Wednesday 24 July, there shall be eight matches of soccer within the group phases and rugby sevens matches within the M pool rounds.

And on Thursday 25 July, there shall be extra rugby and soccer matches in addition to preliminaries for handball and archery.

When is the opening ceremony?

On Friday 26 July the Video games shall be formally opened with a city-wide occasion encompassing iconic elements of Paris and the River Seine.

It’ll begin at 7.30pm native time, which is 6.30pm (BST).

In contrast to earlier opening occasions, this one is not going to be held inside a stadium.

As an alternative, the plan is to convey the festivities and the athletes to the broader public in a sequence of occasions specializing in the primary artery, the River Seine.

A parade of athletes will journey alongside the Seine in boats for every nationwide delegation passing a few of Paris’s most well-known landmarks together with the Louvre and Notre Dame cathedral.

The vessels shall be outfitted with cameras to permit tv and on-line viewers to see the ten,500 athletes athletes up shut.

Following the course of the Seine, the river parade will journey from east to west for greater than 6 kilometres, and find yourself in entrance of the Trocadéro, the place the ultimate parts of the ceremony will happen.

The flotilla of greater than 90 boats will depart from the Austerlitz bridge beside the Jardin des Plantes and are available to a cease at Iéna bridge the place athletes will dismebark to go to the Trocadéro.

Alongside the way in which, the sports activities stars will catch glimpses of a number of the official Video games venues, together with Parc Urbain La Concorde, the Esplanade des Invalides and the Grand Palais.

As much as 500,000 spectators are anticipated to line the banks of the Seine to look at the spectacle.

Followers gained’t want tickets to entry the higher quays, however these wishing to entry the decrease quays, from the Austerlitz bridge to the Iéna bridge, might want to purchase tickets. 

Eighty big screens and audio system throughout the town may also guarantee everybody can benefit from the ambiance within the French capital.

Particulars of the performers and star acts through the opening ceremony have but to be launched.

Nonetheless, it’s understood as much as 3,000 artists and 400 dancers are scheduled to be collaborating.

Maud Le Pladec has been appointed because the choreographer of the opening ceremony, with dancers anticipated on every bridge alongside the route.

Thomas Jolly, creative director of the Paris 2024 Ceremonies, mentioned: “Dance, as a common language, will play a key position within the ceremonies. 

“And it’s as a result of Maud explores all dance cultures by way of her personal creations that I wished to ask her to affix my workforce.

“Her work is characterised by a novel skill to fuse modernity and uncooked emotion, mixed with a chiselled crafting of our bodies in area, remodeling the pure setting of the banks of the Seine right into a residing stage.”

Whereas Tony Estanguet, President of Paris 2024 mentioned dance is “an integral a part of the Paris 2024 challenge, particularly with breaking as a brand new self-discipline, in addition to the Olympic Opening Ceremony, a completely residing spectacle that may convey collectively a whole lot of dancers representing all types to boost the athletes’ parade”.

How lengthy do the Olympics go on for?

The closing ceremony for the Paris Olympics shall be held on Sunday 11 August within the within the Stade de France nationwide area, after 17 days of sports activities and festivities.

To have fun the tip of the Video games, creative director Thomas Jolly has created and directed “Data,” a novel present to play out within the stadium.

Tony Estanguet, President of Paris 2024 , mentioned: “On 11 August 2024, a brand new web page shall be turned with the Closing Ceremony of the Olympic Video games: will probably be time to say goodbye to all of the Olympic athletes and delegations who’ve thrilled us, made us dream and introduced us to tears throughout 17 days of amazingly intense competitors.

“On the Stade de France, the place the best stars of athletics and rugby sevens could have competed, the second shall be solemn and emotional, however it’ll even be a time for celebration! “

After the Video games shut, there shall be a brief break earlier than the Paris Paralympic Video games open on 28 August and run till 8 September, with athletes competing in 549 medal occasions throughout 22 sports activities.