On February 7, 2014 millions of television viewers across the world will watch as the XXII Olympic Games Opening Ceremony takes place in Sochi, Russia. This exciting and historical event will unite athletes from a record breaking total of 88 countries, according to thestar.com, to kick off the 2014 Winter Olympic Games.
The Olympic Opening Ceremony once belonged to the athletes, as it was a chance to showcase the athletes as they walked side by side, dressed in their nations’ colors with their countries’ flags in hand, while millions of spectators watched. Today, however, the Opening Ceremony has become more than that. Media outlets from all around the world are prepared to cover everything from the fashion and celebrity appearances to the spectacular performances. It has grown into an opportunity for the host country to entertain and show the world what they can do with choreography, creativity, costumes and technology (Yahoo!).
A couple of years ago you may have anxiously awaited the reunion performance of the Spice Girls at the 2012 Olympic Closing Ceremony in London. You also may remember the incredible, four-hour performance put on by Beijing’s 14,000 participants in the 2008 Olympic Opening Ceremony that incorporated astonishing precision and athleticism. The Opening Ceremony, Closing Ceremony and Victory Ceremonies make up the three ceremonies that create some of the most memorable performances of the Olympic Games, according to the official Sochi 2014 website.
Among the millions watching to see what Russia has in store for us during the Opening Ceremony, Loyola University senior, Abby Otto, will be both watching Friday as well as hosting a group of friends to view the show. “I love the Olympics and as a sports fan, I really do enjoy watching the best of the best compete. But beyond the competition, seeing people and athletes from around the world come together for something that is so much more than simply one jump or one skating event is amazing. It brings about a sense of unity and of patriotism,” she said.
Friday, February 7, 2014, people from all over the world will join together to carry on an extraordinary athletic tradition. Together, we will support and cheer on the most talented athletes around the world at the XXII Olympic Games Opening Ceremony before they set forth to compete in the Winter Games.