Former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh on Thursday extended his best wishes to Indian athletes participating in the XXXIII Olympics Games in Paris, which will commence with a historic Opening Ceremony on the river Seine on Friday.
“I wish the very best to all Indian athletes for the Olympics. I wish they all return home with medals. I hope they return with the maximum medals,” Harbhajan, one of the most successful off-spinners in cricket history, told IANS.
India has sent a huge contingent of 117 sportspersons to Paris for the 2024 Olympics, aiming to surpass the historic seven medals won at the previous edition in Tokyo.
India will compete in 16 out of the 32 sports featured in this year’s Olympic Games.
For the first time in Olympic history, the Opening Ceremony will not be held inside a stadium. Instead, the traditional Parade of Nations will take place along the river Seine, which runs through the heart of Paris.
In this unique ceremony, over 10,000 Olympic athletes will travel on around 100 boats, cruising along the Seine and passing by some of Paris’ most iconic landmarks, including the Notre Dame, Pont des Arts and Pont Neuf.
This is the third Summer Olympics in Paris after previously hosting the Games in 1900 and 1924.