Tahiti (France), July 27 (IANS): Participants of the Paris Olympics in Tahiti, French Polynesia, where the Games' surfing events will take place, celebrated the opening of the Games.

Athletes, officials, fans and locals gathered for a cultural ceremony held concurrently with the main event in Paris, some 16,000km away, reported Xinhua.

48 surfers entered the ceremony with their respective national and regional flags, followed by the "Sands of the World" ceremony, where surfers poured the sand from their home together in a symbol of unity.

Also on display was the traditional Tahitian Rahiri celebration, representing fair play and mutual respect between athletes.

"This is the moment to shine," said Fernando Aguerre, president of the International Surfing Association (ISA).

The competition will start on Saturday morning in Tahiti, with big conditions and overhead waves forecast. 15-year-old Yang Siqi will make China's debut at the Olympic surfing event.