Brian Wanyama
Africa champion Ferdinand Omanyala and Triza Atuka will tomorrow carry the Kenyan flag during the official opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on River Seine.
More than 100 boats will be used to carry more than 10,500 athletes from different countries during the ceremony that organisers expect to be viewed by more than 1 billion eyeballs.
Not all Kenyan athletes are in Paris, but there is more than half of the team already in the city.
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The athletes will wear the official Team Kenya ceremonial kit that has undergone massive improvement from the time it was first displayed on July 5, during the official flag handover ceremony to Team Kenya by President William Ruto at the Nairobi State House.
“It’s a great moment for Kenya to be part of the 205 nations coming together in celebration of the Olympics. We have prepared the team well and trust they are ready to take on the other top athletes. We look forward to a magical match in the parade of nations tonight,” National Olympic Committee of Kenya (Nock) Secretary General Francis Mutuku said.
Meanwhile, the French security forces here have implemented an unprecedented security operation to ensure the opening ceremony’s safety, especially after a group of citizens threatened to defecate in the Seine. Already a section of protestors yesterday splashed cow dung outside the 80,000-seater Stade de Paris stadium as rugby group matches continued. For the first time, the Games will begin with a river parade along the Seine.
To secure the expansive and high-risk venue, the French government has deployed approximately 45,000 police and paramilitary officers, accompanied by 10,000 soldiers and 20,000 private security guards. The area stretches over six kilometers along the Seine, accommodating around 300,000 ticketed spectators and numerous residents and tourists in surrounding buildings.
A no-fly zone will be established 150 kilometers around Paris starting one hour before the 8.30pm ceremony, grounding or diverting all aviation at one of Europe’s busiest airport hubs.
“This opening ceremony is the most extraordinary thing a country can do,” Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin told BFM television, a local television channel here. He acknowledged the challenge posed by the current geopolitical climate, stating, “In the current context of geopolitics and terrorism, it’s an enormous challenge.”
The security measures reflect the complexities of protecting an open-air event on a major river. Police snipers will be stationed on high points along the route, scanning for potential threats.
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Navy boats equipped with divers and sonar will inspect the Seine for explosives or infiltration attempts, and all boats in the parade will undergo thorough screening by sniffer dogs and bomb disposal experts.
River traffic will be halted, with barriers and deployable nets in place to secure the waterway. The initial plan to host up to a million spectators along the river has been scaled back, a move reflecting increased security concerns.
