After 16 days of uninterrupted sporting activity, Paris said goodbye to the 2024 Olympic Games with a glittering closing ceremony at the Stade de France on Sunday 11 August. Once again, the French capital impressed everyone with a memorable event that showcased its history and culture in front of 80,000 spectators.
The event began with the traditional Olympic anthem and the national anthem of host country France. The flag bearers of 205 teams then entered the stadium as the crowd cheered loudly for their favourite teams. All the athletes also joined the athletes’ parade and thanked the crowd for their support. Manu Bhaker and PR Sreejesh proudly carried the Indian tricolour during the parade after an eventful campaign that saw them win six medals.
According to tradition, the medal ceremony for the women’s marathon was held, followed by the national anthem of Greece, which hosted the first modern Olympic Games in 1896. More than 280 performers entered the stadium, which was decorated in the shape of a globe representing the seven contingents.
French theatre director and actor Thoms Jolly put on a show themed “Records” through various traditional dance and music performances. The Olympic rings, the symbol of the Olympic movement, were unfurled in the air in the centre of the stadium as performers entertained the crowd.
French band Phoenix and Belgian singer-songwriter delighted the audience with their greatest hits. A pre-recorded recording showed the journey of the Olympic torch arriving at the stadium, followed by official farewell speeches by the President of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, and the President of the Paris 2024 Organising Committee, Tony Estanguet.
The event concluded with the handover of the Olympic flag. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo handed the flag over to Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who will host the 34th Summer Games in 2028. Hollywood actor Tom Cruise surprised everyone with his appearance at the end. He took the Olympic flag from Karen Bass and brought it to Los Angeles for the 2028 Summer Games.
Meanwhile, the U.S. women’s basketball team scored a thrilling 66-65 victory over France in the final to claim the country’s 40th gold in the final event of the Paris Games. China also won 40 golds, but the U.S. was crowned champion due to its superiority in silver medals.
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