Rio 2016 opening ceremony as it happened: Brazil make carnival from chaos in front of the world
Relive the ceremony as millions around tuned in to watch the opening ceremony in Rio
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Your support makes all the difference.Welcome to The Independent's coverage of Rio 2016 as the sport finally takes over from the simmering political and social unrest to have blighted the organisation of the Olympics this summer.
- Can the carnival overcome the chaos?
- Everything you need to know about Rio 2016 on TV
- Best and bizarre things to look for at opening ceremony
- Now the games have begun, it's time to see the best of Rio
- Pele to miss opening ceremony due to ill health
- Team GB swimming kit 'goes missing'
- Moroccan boxer arrested for rape on eve of Rio
Follow the latest from Rio below...
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The Maracana Stadium hosts the opening ceremony of the Rio Olympic Games as Brazil looks to put the doom and gloom of the past few weeks behind it and raise the curtain on what will be 17 days of the best the South American nation has to offer. But what will it offer?
Any Olympic ceremony often indicates what is to come over the ensuing fortnight of action, with London’s grand opening a sign of things to come as the capital staged a memorable Olympic Games.
While the build-up to Rio has been blighted by fears over the Zika virus, concerns over health and safety and shock at the extreme poverty that the less fortunate experience in Rio de Janeiro, Friday signals a chance to put that all to one side and showcase the city in its finest light.
We already know that the ceremony will not be as flash as London, or even on the same scale as 2012, given that the money spent on it is around a tenth of the £27m spent four years ago.
Film director Fernando Meirelles, famous for his City of God, will coordinate the opening ceremony and explained that he could not justify spending a similar amount to the London showcase given the level of poverty in his home country. But while the ceremony is set to show the best of Brazil, there could be a few bizarre stop-offs along the way.
Women's Heptathlon: With Ennis-Hill in second and KTJ in sixth, there's still one more event to come for this evening. The 200m is expected to get underway in the next 20 minutes or so and both Britons will be hoping they can put the disappointment of the shot-put behind them as they look to knock Belgium's Nafi Thiam off the top spot.
Men's Long Jump: It's another foul from Rutherford second time round. Despite making a small adjustment to his run-up, having moved the marker back ever so slightly, it still wasn't enough. The pressure is really on now for the defending champion...
Women's 200m backstroke: USA's Madeline Dirado wins gold in the 200m backstroke - the first swim of the evening. Hungary's Katinka Hosszu had been down to take the top spot on the podium but has been pipped to it by the American who won by 0.06 seconds.
Men's 100m Butterly: The Le Clos v Phelps rivalry is back in full-swing. It's a weak start from the American but can he turn it back?
Last night's swimming action saw Michael Phelps compete and NOT win. It proved to be a crazy race that saw three silver medallists and Singapore's first ever gold medal, and there's a remarkable story behind the 21-year-old winner, Joseph Schooling:
Women's heptathlon: Katarina Johnson-Thompson needs an impressive showing in the long jump today, the event that saw her hopes of gold at the world championships earlier this year die dramatically as she recorded three consecutive no jumps. She's on the board immediately this time with a solid 6.51m, although her personal best is a much bigger 6.93m.
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