The very place where Beijing hosted the Summer Games fourteen years ago, the megalopolis officially launched its Olympic fortnight when the giant snowflake-shaped basin caught fire in the sky of Beijing.

Two young Chinese athletes qualified for these Games, cross-country skier Dinigeer Yilamujiang, born 20 years ago in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, and Nordic combined specialist Zhao Jiawen, 21, were the last carriers of the flame.

This one, abnormally small, must shine until the conclusion of these Games on February 20th.

The pandemic has indeed forced the organizers to limit the presence of the public for these Games, the second in a row to take place under the shadow of Covid-19, barely six months after the Tokyo Summer Games which had to be postponed for one year.

The show kicked off shortly before 8 p.m. local time when Chinese President Xi Jinping entered the stadium, waving to his International Olympic Committee (IOC) counterpart Thomas Bach from afar.

The grandiloquent staging of the entry of the Chinese flag, carried by extras representing the 56 ethnic groups of the country, then gave way to the traditional parade of athletes.

The last two Olympic flame bearers Dinigeer Yilamujian (left) and Zhao Jiawen during the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics on February 4, 2022 Jewel SAMAD AFP

V for Victory

Beginning as always with Greece, the cradle of Olympism, it took place with a medley of world-famous classical music in the background, from Aïda (Verdi) to Carmen (Bizet) via Swan Lake (Tchaikovsky) .

As often, it was an opportunity for several countries to stand out.

The flag bearer of Samoa, for example, marched in traditional costume, bare-chested and oiled as have become the habit of doing some Pacific islands for a few editions, despite the negative temperatures.

American Samoa flag bearer Nathan Crumpton shirtless during the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics on February 4, 2022 Manan VATSYAYANA AFP

The French, led by skier Tessa Worley and freestyler Kevin Rolland, did not fail to get noticed by forming the V for victory as they entered the stadium.

“Five minutes before entering the stadium, we wondered what we could do to stand out, had fun Kevin Rolland. I said, laughing: + We make the V for victory! + . Everyone followed. We did an express training in the corridors, and then we came back with the V and it was a hit."

"+ Victory in front + is the slogan of the French Olympic and Paralympic teams. We wanted to show that we were all on the same wavelength and that we were ready", added Tessa Worley.

The applause was a little louder for Taiwan, Hong Kong or even for Russian athletes, whose President Vladimir Putin was present in the stands.

The French delegation at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics on February 4, 2022 François-Xavier MARIT AFP

The decision by several countries, led by the United States, to diplomatically boycott the Olympics because of China's human rights record had put politics at the center of attention in the weeks leading up to the opening.

But IOC President Thomas Bach urged world leaders to respect the traditional Olympic truce, calling on them to "give peace a chance".

© 2022 AFP