TT’s Olympic delegation was not affected by the arson attacks which disrupted three-high speed railways to Paris, causing delays to more than a million travellers attending the opening ceremony parade of nations at River Seine in Paris on July 26.
Despite an over one-hour delay before the start, partnered with intermittent showers, TT’s 33-member contingent sailed down the Seine patriotically dressed in red, black and white uniforms produced by The Hideout Clothing.
The national flag was held up and waved by women’s sprinter and now four-time Olympian Michelle-Lee Ahye and swimmer Dylan Carter, now in his third stint at the Summer Games.
TT Olympic Committee (TTOC) president Diane Henderson confirmed the delay along the rails did not hamper the TT delegation.
"They are all okay, not affected," she responded via WhatsApp message.
Joining them aboard the boat were three other nations – Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, Togo and Tonga. TT’s delegation were last on the boat.
TT's team is made up of 17 athletes and 16 officials. Leading the athlete contingent are two-time Olympic javelin medallist Keshorn Walcott and Ahye, alongside medal favourites Jereem Richards (200m, 400m, 4x400m relay), Carter (swimming) and Nicholas Paul (cycling).
[caption id="attachment_1098643" align="alignnone" width="596"] TT flag bearers Michelle-Lee Ahye, left, and Dylan Carter before the start of the Paris Olympics opening ceremony. PHOTOS COURTESY TEAM TT -[/caption]
TT have won 19 Olympic medals in history – 15 in track field, three in weightlifting and one in swimming. The 2024 squad will be hoping to seal a podium place after a medal-less campaign in Tokyo three years ago.
This was the first time in Olympic Games history the opening ceremony was held outside a stadium.
As is customary, the parade of nations started with the Greek team to recognise its significance as the birthplace of the Olympics over 3,000 years ago and its role as the host of the first modern Olympics.
Almost 30,000 spectators lined the Seine quayside to witness over 80 boats carrying Olympic delegations over a 6K distance, which started from Post d’Austerlitz and concluded at Post d’lena, at the foot of the Eiffel Tower.
Also looking on was French President Emmanuel Macron and International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach among a host of other international dignitaries.
There was also an array of singers and dancers from multiple genres along the route such as American Lady Gaga among hosts of others from France and around the world.
Opera singers, dancers from the French Army, a makeshift runway atop one of the bridges and numerous ‘heart’ representations of the city of love (Paris) all featured France’s diversity in fashion, music, the arts and longstanding tradition.
During the ceremony, the Olympic torch was taken through Paris on foot by a masked person who climbed on to roofs, jumped walls and even strolled through the Louvre, en route to the Eiffel Tower for the lighting of the Olympic cauldron to signal its o
