Paris bids triumphant ‘au revoir’ to Olympics in closing ceremony

The Olympic Games are declared closed

Léon Marchand has arrived at the Stade de France with the Olympic Flame from the Jardins des Tuileries.

The six athletes who accompanied Tony Estanguet and President Thomas Bach’s speeches earlier wait for him on stage, as does the IOC President.

President Bach declares the Games closed, then the six athletes and Marchand blow out the flame in the lantern.

“In accordance with tradition, I call upon the youth of the world to assemble four years from now in Los Angeles, United States of America, to celebrate with all of us the Games of the XXXIV Olympiad,” President Bach adds.

Tom Cruise will help transport the Olympic Flag from here in Paris to Los Angeles, via the streets of Paris and the hills of Hollywood, as he takes the flag from Simone Biles.

And that’s the famous Hollywood sign, with a few extra Olympic rings! All the while, the Red Hot Chili Peppers play in the background.

Along the way, we see cameos from friends and Olympians Kate Courtney (mountain bike, 2020), Michael Johnson (track and field athletics, four-time Olympic champion, 1992-2000), and Jagger Eaton (skateboarding, two-time Olympic medallist, 2020-2024).

Courtney takes us downtown to the LA Memorial Coliseum, which was a venue in 1932 and 1984; Johnson through the neighbourhoods of LA; and Eaton finishes the flag relay at the world-famous Venice Beach.

Hollywood’s top gun Tom Cruise rappelled from the roof of the Stade de France into the Paris Games closing ceremony on Sunday before speeding off with the Olympic flag in a dramatic handover that began the countdown to the Los Angeles Games in 2028.

A beaming Cruise high-fived athletes after making the roughly 160-foot descent before jumping on a motorcycle and exiting the stadium as the crowd at the 80,000-seat stadium roared.

Living up to the stunning success of the Paris Games may seem like mission impossible for LA and the celebrity-rich city will lean on its stars such as leading man Cruise as the Olympic spotlight turns to Southern California.

Cruise was among the many celebrities seen taking in the action at the Paris Games, showing up at gymnastics, swimming and soccer.

Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo on Sunday handed over the Olympic flag to the mayor of 2028 host city Los Angeles during a spectacular closing ceremony of the 2024 showpiece at the Stade de France.

The flag was presented to Karen Bass, the mayor of the Californian city.

Tony Estanguet, president of the 2024 organising committee, “To you, athletes, what can I say? We knew you would be brilliant, but you were magic,

We are so proud of you, bravo to all of you.

You made us happy, you made us feel alive.

On behalf of billions of sport lovers across the five continents, thank you very much.

We will be reunited in LA28, and the Games will keep growing.”

“We are all in love with the Games, the 19 days have passed so quickly and these 19 days will always stay with us. The same venues in two and a half weeks time, 4,500 athletes are ready. I invite you on 28th August to the best return match of your lives, be there at the Paralympics 2024.”

International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said on Sunday the Paris Games had been “sensational”.

“These were sensational Olympic Games from start to finish – or dare I say, Seine-sational Games,” Bach said in a speech at the closing ceremony, in a reference to the river which staged the opening ceremony.

They are accompanied by six Olympic medallists – representing the five continents plus one member of the Refugee Olympic Team.

They are:

• Boxer Cindy Ngamba (EOR), one bronze medal, representing the Refugee Olympic Team
• Table tennis player Sun Yingsha (CHN), three gold medals, two silver medals, representing Asia
• Marathon runner Eliud Kipchoge (KEN), two gold medals, one silver medal, one bronze medal, representing Africa
• Wrestler Mijaín López (CUB), five gold medals, representing the Americas
• Judoka Teddy Riner (FRA), five gold medals, two bronze medals, representing Europe
• Swimmer Emma McKeon (AUS), six gold medals, three silver medals, five bronze medals, representing Oceania

Paris is closing out two and a half extraordinary weeks of Olympic sports and emotion with a boisterous, star-studded show in France’s national stadium, handing over hosting duties for the Summer Games to the next city in line: Los Angeles in 2028.

With an artistic show that celebrated Olympic themes, golden fireworks and thousands of athletes partying into the night, the closing ceremony put a final flourish to Paris’ first Games in a century.

In their enthusiasm, crowds of athletes rushed the stage during the ceremony’s artistic portion, and stadium announcements in French and English urged them to double back. Some of them stayed, surrounding Grammy-winning French pop-rock band Phoenix as they played, as security and volunteers worked to clear the stage.