Team Philippines begins Paris 2024 Olympic journey

Metro Manila, Philippines — Filipino athletes begin their quest for glory as they join the traditional parade of nations at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris early Saturday morning, July 27 (Manila time).

Instead of the oval parade, 10,500 delegates at the 33rd Olympiad took a boat ride down the Seine River.

It's the centennial year for the Philippines after its Olympic debut also in Paris in 1924.

Boxers Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam led the Philippine contingent in the ceremony as flag bearers. While the Philippines has 22 athletes, only 11 of them and some officials joined the opening ceremony as others train for the first day of competitions.

READ: Meet the Filipino athletes competing in the Paris 2024 Olympics

Filipino Olympians donned the warrior-inspired "Sinag" Barong created by renowned Filipino designer Francis Libiran.

Team Philippines did not mind the rains in snapping photos and sharing moments during the cruise.

Ahead of the ceremony, hurdler Lauren Hoffman showed in an Instagram story her co-athletes drying their custom-made outfits on their bus trip to the Austerlitz Bridge.

The river parade was six kilometers in all and ended at the Trocadéro Gardens.

It was an enchanting ceremony with Lady Gaga's Cabaret tune and Celine Dion's comeback performance under the Eiffel Tower.

French athletes and other Olympians carried the torch and was handed to Charles Coste, a former cyclist and the oldest living French Olympic champion at 100 years old.

Coste passed the torch to judo star Teddy Riner and retired 400-meter sprinter Marie-José Pérec, who lit the Olympic cauldron. It was attached to a giant balloon that floated into the Parisian sky.

Rower Joanie Delgaco will begin the Philippines' medal bid in the Summer Games at 4 p.m. (Manila time). Gymnast Carlos Yulo will follow at 9:30 p.m. for the men's qualifiers.

SCHEDULE: Team Philippines in Paris 2024 Olympics