The rain may have dampened the mood at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics, but it certainly didn’t dampen the spirits of Tony Estanguet, president of the Paris Olympics committee. Speaking to reporters after the ceremony, Estanguet admitted that he was “gutted” by the weather, but he was still incredibly proud of the show that his team had put on.
“Of course, we were hoping for better weather,” Estanguet said. “But the rain couldn’t stop us from celebrating the spirit of the Olympics. The athletes, the volunteers, the spectators ā everyone came together to make this a truly unforgettable night.”
Estanguet also praised the resilience of the performers, who braved the rain to deliver a spectacular show. “The artists and athletes were incredible,” he said. “They showed true dedication and professionalism in the face of adversity.”
Despite the rain, the opening ceremony was a resounding success. It was a celebration of French culture and a testament to the power of the Olympic Games to bring people together.
We were warned that getting an interview with Tony Estanguet would not be easy. Over 50 media outlets were after him, we were told. As head of the Paris 2024 Organizing Committee, he was probably the most sought-after man in France during the second week of the Olympic Games. The champion canoeist and slalom specialist navigated between early-morning meetings with his teams and countless appearances ā photographer in tow ā at the competition venues, arms draped around the French medalists. The hyperactive type, with an overloaded schedule.
Yet the door wasn’t completely closed. “We’ll try tomorrow, we’ll see,” his close team replied to our repeated requests. We had to write a profile of the man behind the famous “enchanted interlude” that turned Paris and France into a summer-long party. But day after day,
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