Who lit the 2024 Olympics cauldron? Identity revealed

The 2024 Paris Olympics opened with a magnificent and cinematic opening ceremony.

The July 26 event took place at the Seine River, becoming the first opening ceremony to be held outside of a stadium.

As over 200 countries participated in the Parade of Nations, a mystery masked man carried the Olympic torch across the city and historical monuments and Parisian rooftops.

So after all the competing countries' athletes got off the boat and made their way inside the Place du Trocadero, another caped figure appeared in silver riding a mechanical metallic horse across the river and carrying the Olympic flag.

Part of the protocol includes the arrival of the Olympic flag and the lighting of the cauldron.

Who lit the 2024 Olympics cauldron?

Just like the opening ceremony began with French former soccer icon and coach Zinedine Zidane, he took over the Olympic flame from the masked figure and gave it to Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal.

After a spectacular light show on the Eiffel Tower that illuminated the night sky, Nadal and company, including Serena Williams, track and field icon Carl Lewis and former gymnast Nadia Comăneci, embarked on a boat and made their way back up the Seine with the torch in hand.

As they disembarked, Nadal handed off the torch to French retired tennis star Amelie Mauresmo, who then gave it to former NBA player Tony Parker and joined three Paralympian legends as they jogged past the Louvre Museum.

Torchbearer former French cyclist Charles Coste (3L) gives the Olympic flame to French former sprinter Marie-Jose Perec (L) and French judoka Teddy Riner (2L) during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris at the Jardin des Tuileries.MOHD RASFAN / AFP via Getty Images

A number of other decorated athletes were handed the torch before the final two, judoka legend Teddy Riner and iconic track and field sprinter Marie-José Pérec, lit the cauldron.

Different than years past, the cauldron was a hot air balloon, which was lit and then soared through the Parisian skies, before Céline Dion made her highly anticipated return to the stage.

Torch bearers French former sprinter Marie-Jose Perec and French judoka Teddy Riner light the Olympic cauldron.MOHD RASFAN / AFP via Getty Images

An encore presentation of the opening ceremony with additional moments not featured in the original live show will be broadcast during prime time at 7:30 p.m. ET, 6:30 p.m. CT, 6:30 p.m. MT and 7:30 p.m. PT.

Additionally, Olympic events will be livestreamed and available throughout the 2024 Games on NBCOlympics.com, NBC.com, the NBC app and the NBC Olympics app. A complete schedule of the Games can be found here. 

Check out all of TODAY’s Olympic coverage, from exclusive interviews with the athletes, their families, heartfelt moments and more.

Tune in to the Paris Olympics on NBC and Peacock.

Liz Calvario

Liz Calvario is a Los Angeles-based reporter and editor for TODAY.com who covers entertainment, pop culture and trending news.