From the Minions to a beheaded Marie Antoinette and a Smurf-blue Dionysus, the Paris 2024 Olympic Games opening ceremony sparked much discussion online.
Another moment that attracted the audience's attention was the masked figure who appeared carrying the Olympic torch for much of the ceremony on Friday night (July 26).
Dressed in a black cloak with a hood and with their face hidden by a fencing mask, the mysterious character ran across the French capital's rooftops, ziplined across the Seine, and brought the Olympic flame to iconic places like the Musée d'Orsay and the Louvre.
Highlights
- A torchbearer in a black cloak and fencing mask captivated viewers at the Paris 2024 Olympics opening ceremony.
- The mysterious figure handed the torch to football legend Zinedine Zidane.
- Speculations arose that the torchbearer's look was inspired by characters from Assassin's Creed, Phantom of the Opera, and Arsène Lupin.
Image credits: Jamie Squire/Getty Images
They last stopped at the Place du Trocadéro, where they handed the torch to the French football legend Zinedine Zidane before leaving the scene without revealing themselves. Zidane went on to pass the torch to Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal.
The three-and-a-half-hour opening ceremony, produced by Thomas Jolly, also featured performances by Lady Gaga and Céline Dion, as well as R&B star Aya Nakamura and local metal icons Gojira.
The mysterious figure handed the torch to football legend Zinedine Zidane
Image credits: Sarah Stier/Getty Images
Image credits: Peter Cziborra - Pool/Getty Images
The protagonists of the event, the 7,000 athletes who will compete to bring glory to their countries, waved to the crowds from 85 boats that took them across the River Seine under a cloudy sky.
On social media, viewers speculated about the identity of the masked torch bearer and the character that may have inspired their outfit.
People quickly began speculating about the identity of the hooded acrobat
But the mysterious bearer was reportedly inspired by a number of characters from French culture, in addition to Dorian, including the Phantom of the Opera and detective Arsène Lupin.
Who was the hooded figure bearing the Olympic torch?
Image credits: simonnogueira
Image credits: simonnogueira
Image credits: simonnogueira
On Saturday, one day after the elaborate ceremony, the enigma of the hooded figure's identity was partly revealed.
Simon Nogueira, a French free-running champion, disclosed that he was at least one of the people who played the role during the event.
"I obviously wasn't everywhere. Other incredible artists also hid on this character," the 27-year-old wrote on the deleted Instagram post alongside a photo of himself in the mask.
Simon Nogueira, a French free-running champion, was revealed to be one of the people behind the mask
Image credits: simonnogueira
According to Clement Dumais, the 2019 Chase Tag World Champion and seven-time Ninja Warrior finalist, a total of 12 people wore the mask during the ceremony. Dumais clarified that he wasn't among those playing the acrobat, saying, "Relax, I didn't say it was me. I will do a live in one year to tell you the truth."
"For the part on the roofs, it was obviously the goat Simon Nogueira."
Simon Nogueria shares videos of himself running across Parisian rooftops
Nogueira also climbed the iconic Notre Dame Cathedral five months before a structural fire broke out in its roof space in April 2019.
The young acrobat and photographer has worked with brands like Saint Laurent, Netflix, Reebok, and PlayStation, according to his website. Interestingly, he has also played characters from Assassin's Creed Unity and Assassin's Creed Syndicate in promotional videos for Ubisoft.
The young acrobat and photographer has worked with brands like Saint Laurent, Netflix, Reebok, and PlayStation, according to his website. Interestingly, he has also played characters from Assassin's Creed Unity and Assassin's Creed Syndicate in promotional videos for Ubisoft.
People were impressed by the masked figure’s performance at the Olympics, writing, “Assassin's creed character? Is that you?”
“I WAS RECORDING HIM EVERY TIME HE CAME ON SCREEN,” said another.
Others focused on the detailed outfit, adding, “The costume designer outdid themselves. The costume is really cool.”
Social media users praised Nogueira's "unmatched" skills
