Canada floats into Paris Olympics in style as first-of-its-kind opening ceremony kicks off 2024 Games

The 2024 Summer Olympic Games officially kicked off Friday afternoon, with 184 nations taking part in the first ever outdoor opening ceremony along the iconic Seine River during a rainy day in Paris.

For the first time in the history of the Olympics, the opening ceremony didn't take place inside the walls of an arena or mega-stadium. This year's event instead was held on the water as athletes, coaches and dignitaries floated their way into the Games on giant boats. The water parade passed by some of Paris' most famous landmarks, including the Louvre, Notre-Dame, the Post de Arts and the Musée d'orsay before athletes vacated their vessels to continue the ceremony on dry land with the Eiffel Tower featured in the backdrop.

Between the entrances, the weather and the theatrics, this year's opening ceremony was, without a doubt, the most unique we've seen, but one of the great Olympic traditions stayed in tact as flag bearers from every nation led their respective countries into the Games.

• Photos: Team Canada introduced at 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony in historic fashion

For Canada, it was six-time Olympic medalist — and the country's most decorated male summer Olympian — Andre De Grasse and weightlifter Maude Charron, who won gold in the women’s 64kg weight category in Tokyo, leading the team along the Seine River and into the Paris Games.

De Grasse and Charron received news of the honour during a joyous video call on Wednesday with former Olympic champion sprinter Bruny Surin, who is Team Canada’s 2024 Chef de Mission in Paris, along with the Canadian Olympic Committee's Chief Sport Officer, Eric Myles.

"The Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony will be one-of-a-kind and Canada will be led by two athletes that personify our nation,” Surin said on Wednesday. “As Olympic champions, Maude and Andre were chosen not only for their amazing achievements but also for the inspirations they continue to be for all Canadians."

Charron, who hails from Rimouski, Quebec, was nearly at a loss for words upon learning the news.

"Fourteen years ago, I was running with the Olympic torch in the streets of Rimouski and I believed it was the closest I would get to Olympism in my life. Today I’m learning I will be a co-flag bearer for our country I’ve represented with honour for the last 10 years,” said Charron.

“Words are not enough to express my gratitude and the joy I feel to be chosen to lead the way for this extraordinary and talent-filled team," she added.

De Grasse, meanwhile, was left "speechless" after he got the call from Surin and Myles.

"I just want to just embrace it, let it all sink in and just go out there and have fun," said the Scarborough, Ontario product. "I mean, it's like being a kid again. So just go out there and represent. This is going to be a truly huge honour and I'm just really excited and really nervous at the same time to do this."

De Grasse, Charron, and the rest of Canada's 2024 Olympians — 337 in all — floated into the Paris Games in style, as the team rocked head-to-toe garb from Canadian athleisure company Lululemon for the second straight Olympics.

Lululemon, who inked a deal to become Canada's official apparel outfitter back in 2021, will be featured on all Canadian athletes during competition, opening and closing ceremonies, and on the podium for the duration of the Paris Olympics. The multi-year partnership is set to last through the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.

The vibes were good for Canada on Friday as the Games "officially" kicked off, but the nation has already been embroiled in a massive controversy before the opening ceremony even took place as "drone gate" has stole the headlines early on.

Fans from Canada, the USA and beyond are slamming Canada Soccer for allegedly using drones to spy on opposing teams. The federation announced Thursday after their 2-1 win over New Zealand that head coach Bev Priestman was being suspended and sent home from the Olympics in the wake of their drone spying scandal, which was brought to light after a team official was caught flying a drone over the Kiwis' closed practice earlier this week.

De Grasse, Charron and the rest of Canada's Olympic squad will do their best to help this story fade into the background as the country will look to top the 24 medals it secured at the 2020 Games in Tokyo, which marked the country's second-best medal total all-time at a Summer Games.