Rio 2016: Andy Murray says leading Britain out during opening ceremony is 'proudest moment of his career'

The British team got a big ovation from the crowd in Rio

A beaming Andy Murray led Team GB's Olympic hopefuls into the Maracana as the 2016 Rio Games officially opened to great fanfare.

The British contingent received a rousing ovation from the crowd in the cavernous stadium, where a flamboyant spectacle of sound and colour typical of a Brazilian carnival welcomed the 206 guest nations competing in the 31st summer games.

Murray, the defending Olympic champion and two-time Wimbledon winner, held the Union Jack aloft with his left arm - after appearing to struggle with the pole in practice - followed by the Team GB members.

Wearing red, white and blue, the squad soaked up the electric atmosphere, with some taking the obligatory selfies while all waved to the crowds.

Murray will play in both the singles and doubles competitions, the latter alongside his brother Jamie. He may well end up facing rival Rafael Nadal, who carried out the flag for Spain.

Murray says carrying the flag will go down as "the proudest moment of my professional career.

"It doesn't get much bigger than a chance to lead out your country."

The British team got a big ovation from the crowd in Rio, as did the French team when it entered moments earlier. French President Francois Hollande was in the crowd, cheering for his nation's athletes as they walked past.

Other teams that got particularly strong receptions from the crowd included Portugal, and the 10-person Refugee Team, which is competing under the Olympic flag.

However the extravaganza comes as Brazil reels from political crises, economic woes and fears over Zika virus, while the world of athletics has been rocked by the scandal of state-sponsored doping of Russian athletes.

The opening ceremony deviated from its carefully-constructed script within five minutes of the lavish event starting when Mr Temer was not announced to the crowd.

Mr Temer, who took office in May, was meant to be presented alongside International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach.

Overall, the atmosphere in the Maracana Stadium was celebratory, as a succession of actors, dancers and musicians raced through routines intended to showcase Brazil's culture, diversity and history, even finding time for a brief lecture on environmental issues.

The ceremony's creative director Fernando Meirelles had less money to spend than his predecessors, including the mastermind of London 2012's memorable show Danny Boyle, but he promised "the coolest party" and he certainly gave it a go.

And the roar the crowd gave the likes of Spain's Rafael Nadal and the United States team, led by Michael Phelps, would support the view that has been growing here that Rio is ready to forget its concerns about the broken political system, struggling economy and alarming Zika virus to enjoy its moment as the centre of the world's attention.

Press Association