Pan American Games
Inaugurated with
Colourful Fiesta
Brazil's best kept
secret for the last few
months was finally
revealed with the
memorable fiesta of
inauguration of the 15th
Pan American Games.
People anticipated drums
and samba at the
Maracana Stadium, but
few could imagine the
scope of the
celebration, full of
music and lights, making
allegories to the
country's flora, fauna
and geography.
It was all laughter,
jokes and emotion at the
spectacular facility,
with former athletes
Robson Caetano da Silva
and Virna Cristine
Dantas Dias showed their
real flair for hosting
events and even led the
crowd into dancing for a
few minutes.
Singer Elza Soares gave
an intimist, profound
performance of the
national anthem, echoed
by the proud audience of
nearly 100,000
spectators.
And everything was ready
then for the greatest
performance of samba
never before seen in the
continent, with 500
drummers who made the
public go into a trance.
Then, Ana Costa sang the
theme song of the Games,
"Sharing the Energy",
and the scene was set
for the parade of the 42
sport delegations taking
part in the Games.
President of the
Organizing Committee,
Carlos Arthir Nuzman,
and president of the Pan
American Sports
Organization, Mario
Vazquez Rana, gave
opening speeches.
The inauguration of
Rio2007 was undoubtedly
beyond expectation, a
show worth seeing in the
country of carnival and
samba. |
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