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.
Athletics: USA runner Ashton Eaton hopes to become the first man since Britain's Daley Thompson in 1984 to successfully defend his Olympic title when he takes to the track this afternoon. The 28-year-old has broke the world record twice since 2012.
Hammer: Team GB's hopes of reaching the final are up after Nick Miller, Chris Bennett and Mark Dry all miss out on a qualification spot.
BMX: It's the event we've all been waiting for, that most time-honoured of Olympic disciplines, the BMX.
Look at that track. Like little Mount Olympuses.
Sailing: An update on Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark's wait for gold - we're still waiting.
The start has been put back a further 10 minutes due to a change in conditions.
Hockey: Still 1-0, thought New Zealand are having a lot of joy in Great Britain's territory.
It's resolute stuff from the GB women, however, who are holding their opponents off.
Basketball: Closing moments in the basketball and if what's happening on court isn't much of a spectacle, what's happening in the stands certainly is.
Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony et al can't take their eyes off the legions of barmy Argentine supporters cheering their side on, even though they're 24 points behind.
One of the more surreal and enjoyable sights of these Games so far.
Women's long jump: Serbia's Ivana Spanovic leads with a 6.95m jump so far.
Jazmin Sawyers is in seventh-place with a jump of 6.69m.
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