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.
Men's 200m semi-finals: Wow. Justin Gatlin will not be the final.
Alonso Edward and Churandy Martina take the top two spots, Yohan Blake's recent injury problem see him fall well short, but what an upset re: Gatlin.
He looked to ease up slightly with 50m to go. Massive error and it's cost him the chance of besting Bolt.
Women's long jump: Enormous jump from Tianna Bartoletta - 7.17m - pushes her right to the top of the rankings in the long jump final.
Jazmin Sawyers is still back on 6.69m.
Women's 200m: Final coming up, with the Netherlands' Dafne Schippers the favourite. She'll face competition from the United Sates' Tori Bowie.
Dina Asher-Smith qualified by the skin of her teeth last night. Can she recover from some patchy form to medal? It's a big ask.
Men's Triathlon: Jonny and Alistair will be in action shortly. It's hot, really hot. That won't suit the boys who are used to the drizzly, cooler temperament of North Yorkshire but there's a reason they're the sport's best. Alistair is looking to make history to become the first triathlete to defend his Olympic title. Bring it on.
Men's Triathlon: And here they go! Like those summer holidays by the beach, they rush down the beach and dive head first into the ocean - let's just hope their sun-cream is waterproof...
Men's Double Badminton: Elsewhere, Marcus Ellis and Chris Langridge have won the first set in the badminton, 21-18! They're in pole position now for that bronze medal.
Men's Triathlon: The Brownlee brothers have worked their way to the leading pack and are now setting the pace for their third lap of eight. Alistair and Jonny are working tirelessly to shed as many chases as they can as they ascend the track's tough slope. Their main challenger, Spain’s Mario Mola, is struggling to keep up with the British brothers and is trailing by more than a minute in the chasing group.
Men's Triathlon: Alistair and Jonny are leading the way as they finish their second lap. They're 13 seconds ahead of South Africa's Schoeman in third. Barring any disaster, it should be a one-two for Britain and Team GB's 20th gold medal. 5,000km to go.
Speaking to BBC TV, Alistair Brownlee had this to say: "We have been pushing each other to the max. Jonny had the edge and I wasn’t sure I would win, I knew I had to go through hell and I did.
"I was delighted at the finish. On that run I got the gap and I was thinking it is good but kept trying to focus and when I got onto the blue carpet I was so happy.
"I knew the gap was big and I had a chance to enjoy it, it will probably never happen again."
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