Saudi show jumping team member Ramzi Al-Duhami and taekwondo specialist Dunya Abutaleb had the honour of raising Saudi Arabia’s flag at the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Al-Duhami expressed immense pride in hoisting the Kingdom’s flag at the prestigious Olympic ceremony alongside his colleague Abutaleb, describing it as a dream come true for any Saudi citizen. He also shared his hopes that he and his fellow athletes will perform at a level that upholds the reputation of Saudi sports.
Abutaleb echoed these sentiments, expressing her desire for an honourable performance that reflects the unwavering support and attention provided by the Kingdom’s wise leadership.
She also acknowledged the continuous encouragement from the Minister of Sport and President of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee, Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal.
This was the first time the opening ceremony of the world’s biggest sporting event has taken place outside a stadium, with over 10-thousand athletes parading – not around an athletics track – but in a flotilla of boats. To this end, for many reasons, this was an important moment in history.
French media reported that the Paris 2024 Olympics opening ceremony cost approximately €120 million. The show featured a mix of memorable and eclectic moments: a hooded figure leaping across Parisian rooftops, depictions of beheaded royals from the French Revolution set to heavy metal, and a silver horse with an armour-clad rider gliding down the Seine. Despite the rain, the roughly four-hour event proceeded smoothly.
The Paris 2024 Games broke new ground by bringing the sporting competition into the city’s heart, with the opening ceremony held along the Seine river. The traditional parade of athletes, typically held within a stadium, took place on the Seine, with boats for each national delegation equipped with cameras to provide viewers with close-up views of the action.
The 10,500 athletes made their way from east to west, crossing the centre of Paris, which will serve as the main hub for the Games over the coming 16 days. Throughout the ceremony, athletes appeared on stage alongside performers, reflecting Paris 2024’s aim of hosting a Games created for and by the athletes. The parade concluded its 6 km journey in front of the Trocadéro, where the final elements of the ceremony and celebratory shows took place.
In a grand finale, a hot-air balloon brought an Olympic ring of fire into the rainy sky. The ceremony concluded with Céline Dion singing “L’Hymne à l’amour” from the base of the Eiffel Tower, marking her first performance since announcing her diagnosis of “stiff-person syndrome” in 2022.
Saudi Arabia’s promising athletes at the Paris Olympics:
Dunya Abutaleb (Taekwondo)
Dunya Abutaleb is one of Saudi Arabia’s best hopes for a medal in Paris. She made history in March by becoming the first Saudi woman to qualify for the Olympics on merit, winning the 2024 Asian qualification tournament in Tai’an, China. This achievement adds to a distinguished career that includes a World Championship bronze in 2022.
Heading into the 2024 Games, Abutaleb is ranked third in the world in the -53kg category but will compete in the -49kg category in Paris. This is the highest ranking ever achieved by a Saudi athlete in taekwondo, providing hope that Abutaleb might secure a podium finish. She enters the Olympics with five event victories this year, including gold at the 2024 Asian Championships in Da Nang, Vietnam.
Mohammed Tolo (Athletics – Shot Put)
Mohammed Tolo is one of three athletics competitors representing Saudi Arabia in Paris. Tolo secured his Olympic debut by setting a personal best and Asian record of 21.80m in Madrid in June. He won silver at the Asian Games last year but had previously fallen short of the Olympic qualification mark of 21.50m until his historic throw.
Tolo, who also competes in discus, added a Saudi National Championships gold to his accolades in May. The 23-year-old is now ranked in the top 10 in the world for shot put.
Hussain Al-Hizam (Athletics – Pole Vault)
Hussain Al-Hizam will finally achieve his Olympic dream in Paris after narrowly missing out on Tokyo due to a serious ankle injury. The Jubail-born pole vaulter faced an anxious wait to see if his world ranking would secure him a place, which it did. Al-Hizam, now part of the 32-man pole vault field, will compete against the world’s best.
The 26-year-old honed his skills in the US college athletics system, progressing his career through the 2022 and 2023 World Athletics Championships, and winning bronze at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou.
Hibah Mohammed (Athletics – 100m)
Hibah Mohammed will compete in one of the Olympics’ most iconic events, the 100m, after receiving an International Olympic Committee (IOC) quota place. The 23-year-old sprinter set a personal best and new Saudi national record in both the 200m and 100m in May, clocking 12.24 seconds in the latter and winning bronze at the West Asian Championships in Basra, Iraq.
Following in the footsteps of previous Saudi female 100m Olympians Yasmeen Al-Dabbagh (2020) and Kariman Abuljadayel (2016), Mohammed aims to advance further in Paris.
Zaid Al-Sarraj (Swimming)
At just 16 years old, Zaid Al-Sarraj will be the youngest Saudi Olympian in Paris, competing in the 100m freestyle at the Aquatics Centre in Saint-Denis. Al-Sarraj made his debut at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha this year. Despite finishing 58th in the heats, the experience was invaluable, leading to his wildcard spot for the 2024 Games.
Mashael Al-Ayed (Swimming)
Seventeen-year-old Mashael Al-Ayed will make history as the first Saudi female swimmer to compete at the Olympics, participating in the 200m freestyle. Al-Ayed has raced in the FINA World Swimming Championships and the 2023 and 2024 World Aquatics Championships. She will compete only in the 200m in her maiden Olympics.
Abdullah Al-Sharbatly (Showjumping)
Abdullah Al-Sharbatly will make his third Olympic appearance this summer. Al-Sharbatly, a bronze medallist in team showjumping at the 2012 London Olympics, is the most decorated athlete in Asian Games history across any sport, with six gold medals. The 41-year-old will ride Alamo as part of Saudi Arabia’s four-person showjumping team.
Ramzy Al-Duhami (Showjumping)
Veteran jumper Ramzy Al-Duhami returns for his fifth Olympics, having previously competed in Sydney, Athens, Beijing, and London, where he won a bronze medal in team showjumping. The 52-year-old will ride Untouchable 32 in Paris, an “amazing horse” he believes can win a medal.
Abdulrahman Alrajhi (Showjumping)
Abdulrahman Alrajhi, a gold medallist at the Asian Games, will ride Ventago in Paris. The 29-year-old has built a significant social media presence, with over 193,000 followers tracking his career. Alrajhi described his selection for the Paris Games as “a dream come true.”
Khaled Al-Mobty (Showjumping)
Khaled Al-Mobty, a member of the Saudi team at this year’s FEI World Cup in Riyadh, is the team’s first reserve for Paris. At 26, Al-Mobty is considered by veteran team-mate Al-Duhami to be a promising talent for the future.
As Saudi Arabia continues to invest in and promote sports, the Kingdom is positioning itself as a major player on the global sports stage. With a focus on inclusivity, sustainability, and cultural heritage, Saudi Arabia is not only enhancing its international reputation but also fostering a healthier, more engaged society. The upcoming Paris Olympics and future sporting events will undoubtedly play a crucial role in shaping the Kingdom’s sporting legacy and its ambition to host the Summer Games in 2036.
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Photos: SPA
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