Rio 2016 opening ceremony as it happened: Brazil make carnival from chaos in front of the world
Relive the ceremony as millions around tuned in to watch the opening ceremony in Rio
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Welcome to The Independent's coverage of Rio 2016 as the sport finally takes over from the simmering political and social unrest to have blighted the organisation of the Olympics this summer.
- Can the carnival overcome the chaos?
- Everything you need to know about Rio 2016 on TV
- Best and bizarre things to look for at opening ceremony
- Now the games have begun, it's time to see the best of Rio
- Pele to miss opening ceremony due to ill health
- Team GB swimming kit 'goes missing'
- Moroccan boxer arrested for rape on eve of Rio
Follow the latest from Rio below...
Please allow a moment for the blog to load...
The Maracana Stadium hosts the opening ceremony of the Rio Olympic Games as Brazil looks to put the doom and gloom of the past few weeks behind it and raise the curtain on what will be 17 days of the best the South American nation has to offer. But what will it offer?
Any Olympic ceremony often indicates what is to come over the ensuing fortnight of action, with London’s grand opening a sign of things to come as the capital staged a memorable Olympic Games.
While the build-up to Rio has been blighted by fears over the Zika virus, concerns over health and safety and shock at the extreme poverty that the less fortunate experience in Rio de Janeiro, Friday signals a chance to put that all to one side and showcase the city in its finest light.
We already know that the ceremony will not be as flash as London, or even on the same scale as 2012, given that the money spent on it is around a tenth of the £27m spent four years ago.
Film director Fernando Meirelles, famous for his City of God, will coordinate the opening ceremony and explained that he could not justify spending a similar amount to the London showcase given the level of poverty in his home country. But while the ceremony is set to show the best of Brazil, there could be a few bizarre stop-offs along the way.
It's another gold for Team GB! It was guaranteed a while ago but Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark have crossed the finishing line to confirm it. It's Team GB's 21st gold of the Summer Games and Britain's second of the day. Rule Britannia!
Great Britain's Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark have brought their 470 partnership to a dream end by wrapping up Olympic gold.
Four years on from taking silver on the home waters of Weymouth and Portland, the duo arrived in Brazil determined to go one better.
It was a challenge Mills and Clark met with aplomb, producing an opening series as impressive as it was consistent to see them head into the women's 470 medal race all but assured of gold.
The British duo merely had to complete the double-point medal race without disqualification and duly did so, easing home in eighth in the delayed finale to rubber-stamp glory. (Simon Peach in Rio)
Taekwondo: A flurry of kicks land on Glasnovic, but she responds well by connecting with Jones' head.
The second round ends with the British hopeful 4-3 up - a slender lead going into this last round.
Taekwondo: Jones takes a spot in the Olympic final!
She progresses with a substantial 9-4 lead after a composed duel with Sweden's Glasnovic.
The gold medal match will be at 2.00am BST. We'll have updates here.
Men's 1,500m semi-final: Let's get going then with the first 1,500m semi-final.
Great Britain's Charlie Grice is in contention.
Men's 1,500m semi-final: Charlie Grice makes it by six-hundredths of a second.
He'll be in the Olympic final, sneaking through in 5th having exploited a tight gap on the inside.
The rapidly unravelling story of the Rio Games is the one concerning US swimmers Ryan Lochte, Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger and James Feigen. The United States Olympic Committee have confirmed that the alleged armed robbery story was indeed a cover-up used by Lochte and Feigen, and criminal charges could follow. Here's the latest:
There's been a worrying developments in terms of the Zika virus...
In one of the funnier stories emerging from the Olympics, here's Kuwait's Abdullah al-Rashidi, wearing an Arsenal shirt due to his participation for the International Team after Kuwait's ban from Rio 2016. And in true Arsenal fashion, he managed to finish third in the men's skeet. You couldn't script it any better.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments