August 11th 2024.
On a lively Sunday in Saint-Denis, France, Los Angeles took over the Olympic hosting duties for 2028 from Paris, which had just closed out its successful 2024 Games with a grand celebration. The City of Angels showed that it was up for the challenge of topping the City of Light, as it rolled out a star-studded lineup including a skydiving Tom Cruise and Grammy winner Billie Eilish.
Paris had set the bar high with its spectacular use of city landmarks as backdrops and venues for the Games, but LA proved that it too had some surprises in store. Cruise, dressed as his iconic character Ethan Hunt, descended from the top of the stadium to the electric guitar riffs of the "Mission Impossible" theme. After greeting the enthralled athletes, he took the Olympic flag from gymnast Simone Biles and rode off on a motorcycle, signaling that Los Angeles 2028 will be a must-see event.
But this was also a night to celebrate Paris and its successful Games. In a boisterous and star-studded closing ceremony, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach called the past two weeks "sensational" and appealed for a "culture of peace" in a world plagued by conflict. As the thousands of athletes danced and sang, the crowd cheered for the performances by French pop-rock band Phoenix and California natives like Eilish, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Snoop Dogg.
The party continued in Los Angeles, where the Olympic rings were lit up on Venice Beach and American athletes celebrated their successes. But the focus was still on Paris, as French swimmer Léon Marchand collected the Olympic flame and extinguished it, signaling the end of the Games. Bach called upon the youth of the world to gather in Los Angeles in four years, and the stadium erupted into a joyous and unified celebration of peace.
It was a fitting end to a Games that aimed for gender parity and showcased the talents of women, with all the final medals going to female athletes. The U.S. team, led by three-time gold medalist Simone Biles, once again topped the medal table with 126 total medals. The closing ceremony, while more somber than the opening ceremony, still celebrated the spirit of the Games with space-age and Olympic themes.
As the golden-shrouded figure descended from the sky and the Olympic symbols were illuminated, the stadium transformed into a dazzling display of lights. And while the Paris Games may be over, the memories and achievements will live on. As AP reporters Noreen Nasir, Stephen Whyno, Tom Nouvian, Thomas Adamson, and Megan Janetsky contributed from Paris, the world was reminded of the power of unity and the spirit of the Olympics.
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