The Olympic torch wound its way around Rio de Janeiro’s landmarks yesterday before the opening ceremony of the sporting spectacle.
The carnival capital of the world hoped the extravaganza at the Maracana Stadium would draw a line under a turbulent seven-year build-up dogged by recession, rising crime and doping scandals.
The torch was taken to all major landmarks as it moved slowly toward the Maracana where the opening ceremony started at 2300 GMT (2am Qatar time).
The flame reached the Christ the Redeemer statue under bright blue skies, where it was held up by former volleyball Olympic athlete Isabel with tears in her eyes.
The torch later passed through the beach district of the city, which has declared yesterday a public holiday to avoid traffic problems.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also carried the torch in the neighbourhood of Ipanema.
The 78,600-seat Maracana hosted a parade of athletes from 207 teams, including Qatar’s, and dozens of world leaders.
Interim President Michel Temer declared the Rio Olympics officially open.
The ceremony launched 16 days of sporting drama featuring about 10,500 competitors, including sprint king Usain Bolt and swimming superstar Michael Phelps which wraps up on August 21.
“I hope the opening ceremony can be a kind of anti-depressant for Brazil,” said one of the show’s creative directors, the acclaimed film-maker Fernando Meirelles.
In the neighbourhood of Copacabana, meanwhile, a few hundred people protested against  Temer, whom they accuse of having toppled suspended president Dilma Rousseff.
They argued that her impeachment proceeding is politically motivated.
Rousseff is accused of tampering with figures to disguise the size of Brazil’s budget deficit during her 2014 re-election campaign. She has denied any wrongdoing.
Brazil has spent more than $10bn on new infrastructure and preparing for the Games.
Anticipation for the sporting battles has been eclipsed by fallout from the Russian doping scandal that has divided the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the World Anti-Doping Agency.
The first gold medal should be awarded today in shooting.
All eyes will be on American swimming star Phelps, the most decorated Olympian in history, when he returns to the pool in the first week.