Simone Biles Shines in Paris Olympic Return Amid Controversies

Simone Biles made a triumphant return at the Paris Olympics, dazzling the audience with her opening routine. The event saw controversies, including backlash over a kitschy opening ceremony tableau and a convicted rapist volleyball player's appearance. Pollution concerns also put France's triathlon swimming event in jeopardy.

Finally, a yellow disc has appeared in the Paris sky, bringing warmth and light to the Olympic venues set among the French capital's famous landmarks. Gymnast Simone Biles, the biggest star of the Games, dazzled in her opening routine.

Simone Biles made her long-awaited Olympic return in Paris on Sunday, drawing cheers from an ecstatic, star-studded crowd in the French capital. Returning for her third Olympics, Biles led the competition on the balance beam with 14.733 points after overcoming the 'twisties' at the Tokyo Games.

Paris 2024 organizers apologized on Sunday to Catholics and other Christian groups angered by a kitschy tableau in the Olympic Games opening ceremony that parodied Leonardo Da Vinci's 'The Last Supper' painting. Meanwhile, Netherlands beach volleyball player Steven van de Velde, a convicted rapist, was booed during his debut.

France's 1.4 billion euro gamble to hold the triathlon swimming in the River Seine hangs in the balance after high pollution levels forced the cancellation of a training session. Efforts to purify the Seine include a giant subterranean reservoir designed to prevent rainwater runoff from mixing with waste water.

In sports highlights, France won gold in men's rugby sevens, Australia's Ariarne Titmus beat Canadian and American contenders in the women's 400 meters freestyle, and Tahiti hosted the first Olympic surfing event with standout performances from the U.S. team and local surfer Vahine Fierro.