PARIS: After a century, the world's fashion capital will roll out the red carpet for Olympics on Friday. The opening ceremony will begin at 11 pm Indian time. In a first, the opening ceremony will be held outside the stadium. The highlight will be the march past where ten thousand athletes line the river Seine. The stars will move about six kilometres in boats and barges.

The opening ceremony, including the lighting of the Olympic torch, will be held at a temporary stage on the banks of the river. Football matches had already started on Wednesday. Paris previously hosted the Olympics in 1900 and 1924.

Veteran table tennis player Ajanta Sarath Kamal and two Olympic medalists P.V. Sindhu will be flagbearers for India in the March Past.

This year also marks the 100th anniversary of the first Malayali participation in the Olympics. CK Lakshmanan, a native of Kannur, competed in hurdles in the 1924 Olympics.

The Olympics will be telecasted live through Jiocinemas.

Neeraj Chopra ( Javelin)

Neeraj Chopra remains India’s best bet to clinch gold in this Olympics. He would look to break his record of 88.88 meters attained in the Hangzhou Asian Games.

Sift Kaur Samra ( Shooting)

Sift Kaur Samra clinched gold in the Hangzhou Asian Games in the Women's 50-meter rifle. Many are rooting for the Punjab prodigy to win gold.

Vinesh Phogat (Wrestling)

After being part of the infamous protest against WFI chief, Vinesh Phogat had to undergo surgery but is back in the best shape with high morale about getting gold.

Nikhat Sarin ( Boxing)

Two-time World Champion is on her Olympics debut but eyes nothing short of a gold medal.

P V Sindhu ( Badminton)

Sindhu won silver in Rio and bronze in Tokyo. Paris will be her last chance for Olympic gold.

Aditi Ashok ( Golf)

In the Tokyo Olympics, she gave signs of an early gold after leading for a few days but ended up fourth in the finals. Things have changed since then it looks like a medal is heading home for professional golf.