Catch the highlights of the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympics 2024, right here
The closing ceremony of the Paris Olympics 2024 started on Monday post midnight. The city of love passed on the baton to Los Angeles for the 2028 LA Olympic Games. Catch the highlights of the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympics 2024, right here. (Medal Table | Schedule & Results | Full Coverage)
"This is the biggest moment in LA28 history to date, as the Olympic flag passes from Paris to LA,” said LA28 Chairperson Casey Wasserman. “We are thrilled to feature the very best of LA with local artists and are grateful to Billie, H.E.R., the Chili Peppers and Snoop for their collaboration on what will be an incredible show to a global audience that will give fans a taste of what’s to come in 2028.”
The hosts of the next Olympics, the United States of America finished at the top of the medal tally with 40 gold medals. China also had 40 golds but USA's total medals are 126 whereas China's total medals are 91.
India finished at 71st rank in the medal tally with only six medals including one silver and five bronze medals. Neeraj Chopra failed to defend his gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in javelin throw and won silver in Paris. Manu Bhaker won two bronze medals - one in the 10m air pistol and the other in mixed team 10m air pistol with Sarabjot Singh. Indian men's hockey team retained their bronze medal in Paris Olympics. Aman Sehrawat, India's only male wrestler in the Paris Olympics, won bronze.
Swapnil Kusale also made history for India by winning a bronze medal in the 50-metre rifle 3 positions event, becoming the first Indian shooter to do so. This achievement marked a significant milestone for Indian shooting sports as it was the first time India had won a medal in this particular event at the Olympics.
Leon Marchand, French swimmer and Torri Huske, the American swimmer are the most decorated male and female Olympians of the Paris Olympics 2024. Marchand grabbed four gold and one bronze medal in the Paris Olympics whereas Huske collected three gold and two silver medals in the 33rd edition of the modern Olympics.
Paris Olympics 2024 saw multiple controversies but one affecting India's interest the most was the wrestler Vinesh Phogat's case. She was disqualified from the gold medal bout on the same morning for being 100g overweight the 50kg weight. She was competing in the women's 50kg freestyle category. The final hearing of her case is scheduled for 13th August.
The flagbearers of the Indian contingent will be two-time Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker and Indian men's hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh. Both will lead the Indian contingent in the closing ceremony.
The closing ceremony has started in the French capital. The most decorated male Olympian of the Paris Olympics - Leon Marchand takes the flame of the Olympics to the State de France. The Olympic flame, at the Jardins des Tuileries or the Tuileries Garden, is put out by the French swimmer who ruled the Paris waters in the last two weeks in a rather cinematic matter, a lamp harvesting the flame, and taking it away somewhere safe. No lamentation from the ceremonial hot air balloon which was serving as the guardian of this holy flame
Musical performances are underway with French President Emmanuel Macron and IOC President Thomas Bach in the audience. The national anthem of France was played and everyone stood up of their seats.
The closing ceremony is the mingling of countries and athletes. The athletes of different countries are at the State de France and the flagbearers are leading their nation's contingent.
One male and one female athlete from all the nations are used as flagbearers in the closing ceremony. India's flagbearers are Manu Bhaker and PR Sreejesh.
The athletes are dancing, celebrating and showing their emotions at the State de France. This is the start of the closing ceremony and they are already pumped. They are taking selfies to remember these moments.
All the medal-winners are entering the Stade de France. USA's medal-winners are displaying their medals and showing the no. 1 sign as they finished on the top of the medal tally.
The victory ceremony for the women's marathon was celebrated with Thomas Bach and Lord Sebastian Coe in the audience. The winners were handed medals by the President of IOC and World Athletics.
There was a time, not long ago when the organizers of the Olympics believed it was too dangerous for women to run a marathon. However, times have changed. On Sunday, in a break with tradition, the women, not the men, will have the honour of closing out the Olympic track meet with the traditional 26.2-mile run. The Paris Games organizers are using the Sunday women's marathon to highlight the milestone of having an equal number of male and female athletes competing in the Summer Games for the first time.
Volunteers are being applauded now for the smooth conduct of the Paris Games 2024. Four newly elected IOC Athletes’ Commission members, Allyson Felix (USA), Kim Bui (GER), Jess Fox (AUS), and Marcus Daniell (NZL) are called upon to hand out gifts of appreciation to volunteer representatives.
The Stade de France has been transformed into a colossal theater, with a dark and mysterious ambiance. It's spine-chilling as a Golden Voyager descends from the sky, inspired by figures from French history, such as the Spirit of the Bastille.
During the Closing Ceremony, the Greek flag will be raised and the national anthem of Greece will be played to recognize the nation’s role in the Olympic Games. There's a twist - instead of following the usual protocol, Thomas Jolly has incorporated it into the show, guiding us through Pierre de Coubertin’s efforts to revive the ancient Olympic Games in the late 1800s.
Nike, the Goddess of Victory, is represented as an entity in the middle of the stage and appears on every Olympic medal. Spectators in the stands are given LED bracelets which produce images of athletes, doves of peace, and the Olympic Rings.
The Golden Voyager performs an impressive choreographic ballet, uncovering the Olympic rings from the floor of Stade de France and hoisting them into the air in the middle of the stadium.
Meanwhile, French pianist and opera singer Benjamin Bernheim sings the Hymn to Apollo, accompanied by Alain Roche playing the piano while suspended vertically in the air.
A montage of best stills once again reminded everyone of the sporting feats that we witnessed in the last two weeks. And Paris, where the first real rebellion in humanity happened, welcomed everyone; the unmistakable backdrop being the Eiffel Tower reflected on the often maligned River Seine.
The French band, Phoenix started the show with Indian athletes also enjoying there in the crowd. The Angele joined Phoenix followed by Kaminsky, Air and Vannda.
President of the Organizing Committee for Paris 2024, the three-time canoe Olympic champion Tony Estanguet, will deliver his closing speech next. He is joined on stage by six athletes, representing the five continents and the Refugee Olympic Team.
1. Boxer Cindy Ngamba (EOR), one bronze medal, representing the Refugee Olympic Team.
2. Table tennis player Sun Yingsha (CHN), three gold medals, two silver medals, representing Asia.
3. Marathon runner Eliud Kipchoge (KEN), two gold medals, one silver medal, one bronze medal, representing Africa.
4. Wrestler Mijain Lopez (CUB), five gold medals, representing the Americas.
5. Judoka Teddy Riner (FRA), five gold medals, two bronze medals, representing Europe.
6. Swimmer Emma McKeon (AUS), six gold medals, three silver medals, five bronze medals, representing Oceania.
"To you, athletes, what can I say? We knew you would be brilliant, but you were magic," Estanguet says. "You made us happy, you made us feel alive. On behalf of billions of sports lovers across the five continents, thank you very much. We will be reunited in LA28, and the Games will keep growing."
IOC President Thomas Bach, the 1976 fencing Olympic champion, addressed the athletes, saying, "Despite all the tensions in our world, you came here from all 206 national Olympic committees and the IOC Refugee Olympic Team to make the City of Light shine brighter than ever before.
"Your performances were amazing. You competed fiercely against each other, with every contest on the edge of perfection, sparking excitement around the world. You showed us what greatness we humans are capable of.
“The Olympic Games Paris 2024 were a celebration of the athletes and of sport at its best.
“These were sensational Olympic Games from start to finish – or dare I say: Seine-sational Games.”
The Olympic flag was taken by IOC President Thomas Bach from Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris and was given to Mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass. She handed the flag to USA's great gymnast Simone Biles.
The handover ceremony begins with the U.S. national anthem, the Star-Spangled Banner, performed by Californian artist H.E.R. She has achieved great success in her career, winning an Emmy, Grammy, and Oscar, and is now just a Tony award away from achieving EGOT status. Recently, she performed alongside Usher during the halftime show at Super Bowl LVIII. Meanwhile, Mayor Bass handed the Olympic Flag to Simone Biles on the side.
Tom Cruise helped to transport the Olympic Flag from Paris to Los Angeles, via the streets of Paris and the hills of Hollywood. He took the flag from Simone Biles. The famous Hollywood sign was adorned with extra Olympic rings while the Red Hot Chili Peppers played in the background. Along the way, we saw cameo appearances from friends and Olympians including 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 took us downtown to the LA Memorial Coliseum, which was a venue in 1932 and 1984; Johnson took us through the neighbourhoods of LA; and Eaton finished the flag relay at the world-famous Venice Beach.
It's time for the LA part of the party. We'll have the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Billie Eilish performing for us from sunny California! And don't forget about Snoop Dogg, who has also been in Paris during the games. Dr. Dre will also make an appearance.
Leon Marchand has arrived at the Stade de France with the Olympic Flame from the Jardins des Tuileries. The audience that has stayed is giving him a warm welcome. "Leon, Leon," the stadium chants as one. 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, and then the six athletes and Marchand blow out the flame in the lantern.
“Following 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.
In a special event, the French flagbearer Antoine Dupont, gold medallist with the men’s rugby sevens team, passed on the national flag to Paralympic team. The Paralympics are set to start from 28th August in Paris.
We will always cherish the amazing memories of the Olympic Games in Paris 2024. Concluding the ceremony, Yseult will sing her interpretation of Frank Sinatra’s classic song "My Way," which was originally based on the French song "Comme d’habitude". The event will end with a final burst of fireworks above the Stade de France.
We will be taking your leave now. The Olympic flag has been transferred from Paris to Los Angeles. That's all from our side. Goodnight and take care!