August 11th 2024.
As the 2024 Paris Olympic Games came to a close, the city was buzzing with excitement and emotion. The grand finale was a star-studded event held at the national stadium, where the torch was passed on to the next host city, Los Angeles in 2028.
There was much speculation about which famous faces would grace the closing ceremony, with Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise spotted in town over the final weekend. Unlike the rainy opening ceremony, the weather was hot and perfect for the grand finale.
French President Emmanuel Macron and International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach took their seats as the ceremony began with a powerful performance of "Under the Skies of Paris." The crowd erupted in cheers as French swimmer Léon Marchand, dressed in a suit and tie, appeared on the giant screens, collecting the Olympic flame from the Tuileries Gardens.
Throughout the Games, the Olympic cauldron in Paris had been a sight to behold, powered by electricity instead of fossil fuels and rising into the night sky on a balloon. It was a symbol of the city's commitment to sustainability and thrilled crowds every evening.
As Los Angeles prepares to take on the role of host for the next Summer Games, they have big shoes to fill. Paris made spectacular use of its iconic cityscape, with famous landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower and others serving as backdrops and even venues for competitions.
But Los Angeles is not without its star power, with renowned artists such as Billie Eilish, Snoop Dogg, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers set to perform at the handover ceremony. Each of these artists hails from California, including H.E.R., who will sing the U.S. national anthem live at the Stade de France, which hosted Olympic track and field and rugby sevens.
As night fell, athletes from 205 countries and territories marched into the stadium, waving their flags in a display of unity in a world filled with tensions and conflicts. The screens displayed the words "Together, united for peace," as the audience of over 70,000 people cheered and danced to the music.
The Stade de France holds a special significance, as it was one of the targets of a terrorist attack in 2015 that killed 130 people. The joy and celebrations that swept Paris during the Games, with French athletes winning a total of 64 medals, marked a significant milestone in the city's recovery.
The closing ceremony also saw the last medals being awarded, with each one containing a piece of the Eiffel Tower. In a fitting tribute to the first Olympics to achieve gender parity, all the medalists were women, including the gold, silver, and bronze winners of the women's marathon.
The race, which was traditionally the final event of the Games, had been moved to Sunday, with the men's race taking place on Saturday. This change was part of Paris's efforts to shine a brighter spotlight on women's achievements and celebrate their participation in the Olympics. It was also in the same city that women first made their Olympic debut in 1900.
The United States once again topped the medal table, with a total of 126 medals, 40 of which were gold. Among the standout performances was gymnast Simone Biles, who made a powerful comeback and won three gold medals after taking a break from competition to prioritize her mental health.
After the controversy surrounding the opening ceremony, all eyes were on the closing ceremony to see if there would be any more surprises from artistic director Thomas Jolly. He and his team had faced backlash and even received death threats for some of the performers and segments in the opening show.
Despite the criticism, Jolly and his team maintained that their intention was never to mock Christianity, as some had claimed. They even received support from President Macron, who expressed his outrage and sadness at the backlash they faced.
As the Paris Games came to an end, the world bid farewell to two and a half weeks of extraordinary sports and emotion. The Olympic flame was passed on to Los Angeles, and the countdown to the 2028 Summer Games began.
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