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 Tennis: Kerber has broken Konta and leads 2-1 in the first set. Early disappointment for the Briton but there's a long way to go still.
Women's Cycling: It's a world record from the women! They clock in at 4min 13.260sec - and that was just the qualifiers...That was a full six seconds faster than Australia. An incredible effort by Trott, Archibald, Barker and Rowsell.
Men's Cycling: Team GB comfortably beat Denmark's fastest time and clock in a time of 3:51.943, just three-tenths of a second behind their own world record.
Men's Cycling: Britain's final against New Zealand in the team sprint gets underway!
Men's Cycling: GOLD FOR BRITAIN! Callum Skinner carries it home for Team GB in the team sprint.
Women's Swimming: Rie Kaneto takes gold in the women's 200m. Britain's Chloe Tutton looked to be on course for a bronze but was pipped to it at the last second. Close but no cigar. Cracking experience for her nonetheless.
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