Prabowo Subianto, the Defense Minister and President-elect of Indonesia, was present at the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. The event took place on the Seine River in Paris at 7:30 PM local time on Friday, July 26, 2024. Prabowo, despite the heavy rain, donned a transparent raincoat and waved to the Indonesian contingent as they passed by during the parade of participating nations.
The Indonesian team, consisting of fourteen athletes including Chef de Mission Anindya Bakrie, flag bearer Maryam March Maharani, cyclist Bernard Benjamin van Aert, and swimmers Azzahra Permatahani and Joe Aditya, looked sporty and elegant in outfits designed by Didit Hediprasetyo, Prabowo’s son. The uniforms were inspired by the story of Raden Saleh and featured red and white hues complemented with Javanese blangkon.
This year’s opening ceremony was unique as it was the first to be held outside the main stadium, with athletes parading along the Seine River using 85 boats. The parade passed by iconic landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame Cathedral, showcasing the beauty of Paris to the world.
The Paris 2024 Olympics will see participants competing from July 26 to August 11, 2024, in various sports.