Tonga will march as the 187th country in the Parade of Nations at the 2024 Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony. The parade will showcase athletes arriving on boats along the Seine River, a first for the Summer Games.
Greece leads the procession, honouring its historical connection to the Olympics, while France, as the host nation, will close the event. The parade order includes 203 participating nations, excluding athletes from Russia and Belarus due to the war in Ukraine.
![riathlon athletes dive in the Seine river during the men's 2023 World Triathlon Olympic Games test event in Paris on August 18, 2023. Photo AFP](https://talanoaotonga.to/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/riathlon-athletes-dive-in-the-Seine-river-during-the-mens-2023-World-Triathlon-Olympic-Games-test-event-in-Paris-on-August-18-2023.-Photo-AFP-1024x667.jpg)
“This parade marks a celebration of global unity and athletic achievement,” said an Olympic official.
The Opening Ceremony is set for July 27 at 7:24 a.m. Tonga local time, promising a spectacular start to the highly anticipated Olympic Games.