Delivering a message on environmental protection and holding a mirror to its vibrant culture, Brazil opened the Games of the 31st Olympiad at the iconic Maracana Stadium here on Friday night.
In front of 60,000 people, Brazil’s interim president Michel Temer declared the Games open during a ceremony that shunned extravagant displays in tough economic times for the host nation.
The high-tech wizardry of London 2012 or the dazzling parade of strength that marked Beijing 2008 was absent as Brazil chose to portray the picture of a land that is in transition, from the pristine Amazon forests to the burgeoning cities.
Brazil’s musical tradition also found a mention, but the stress was on the conservation of the environment, with each athlete given a seed of a plant that would be used to nurture a park in Rio’s Deodoro area.
Vanderlei de Lima, the marathon runner who was attacked by a spectator, dashing his golden dreams at Athens 2004, lit the Olympic flame nearing the conclusion, with thousands of athletes from around the world as witnesses.
The parade of nations highlighted the diversity of the planet with costumes and colours from all corners of the globe merging into a wonderful mélange.
Abhinav Bindra, India’s only individual gold medallist in the Games’ history, led the contingent into the arena.
A chaotic build-up and fears of virus attacks had marked the days that preceded the opening fete, but all those were forgotten as the athletes danced away to the beats of Samba drums towards the conclusion of the four-hour programme – a camaraderie that would be kept aside as the race for medals begins.
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