Paris Paralympics 2024 Closing Ceremony Highlights: Games Officially Closed With Fireworks, Music And Dance

The closing ceremony of the Paris Paralympics 2024 will start at 11:30 pm IST. The Stade de France in Paris is ready for the illuminating closing ceremony of the Paralympic Games 2024.

India finished 18th in the medal tally of the Paris Paralympic Games with seven gold, nine silver and 13 bronze medals. It is 10 more than India's last Paralympic Games in Tokyo.

Para-archer Harvinder Singh, who won a gold medal in the men's recurve open and sprinter Preethi Pal won bronze medals in the women’s 100m and 200m races in the T35 category, are going to be flag bearers for India. Preethi became the first Indian athlete to win a track medal at the Paralympics. Harvinder Singh's bronze medal at the Tokyo Paralympics was the first medal for India in para-archery and he also became the first archer to win a gold medal at the Paralympics.

India won a record 29 medals -- seven gold, nine silver, and 13 bronze. With this, India also crossed the 50-plus medal mark in the Paralympic Games history.

Para-athletes representing different nations have started to enter the Stade de France -- the main stadium. This is the venue for the closing ceremony of the Paris Paralympics 2024. The ceremony is about to start in a few minutes.

It is raining at the Stade de France and athletes have taken their raincoats out. The volunteers are managing things. The event will start shortly.

At the official stand at the Stade de France, the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, and the President of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), Andrew Parsons, are introduced.

The French flag is raised to the sound of "La Marseillaise," the French National Anthem, played by a trumpeter with a disability, André Feydy. The audience sings along to the National Anthem as the flag is raised by officers from various corps of the French Army.

The flags of the participating nations and the Paralympic Refugee Team enter the enclosure in French alphabetical order. The band of the Republican Guard welcomes them, forming a guard of honour. The musicians perform a selection of French and international popular music, giving the parade rhythm and a festive spirit.

At the Paralympic Games Paris 2024, 169 delegations, representing 168 National Paralympic Committees, took part. In addition, there was a Paralympic Refugee Team consisting of eight athletes. This surpassed the previous participation record of 164 delegations at the Paralympic Games London 2012. Notably, Eritrea, Kiribati, and Kosovo participated in the Paralympic Games for the first time in their history.

The Closing Ceremony at the Stade de France has a parade featuring flagbearers and their assistants, as well as all the athletes who have competed over the past 11 days. The event began with the athletes taking their places around the stage.

The Garde Republicaine Music, a French military band consisting of 90 musicians are performing during the parade. The band has a rich history dating back to the creation of the Paris Municipal Guard in 1802 and is currently led by Captain Frederic Foulquier. Their repertoire includes classical music, contemporary works, and traditional military music. Captain Frederic Foulquier previously directed the band during the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games alongside Aya Nakamura on Pont des Arts.

President of the organising committee of the Paris Games 2024, Tony Estanguet delivered a speech after a beautiful video highlight of the Paris Paralympics 2024.

While giving his closing speech, Tony Estanguet invites 2,000 volunteers to join him and share the moment. The crowd went wild. Now, the IPC President is delivering his closing ceremony speech.

The ceremony continues with the presentation of the six newly elected members of the International Paralympic Committee Athletes' Council, two of whom were already members. These individuals, elected by their peers during the Paralympic Games, take centre stage. The IPC Athletes' Council consists of athlete representatives elected by their peers. They serve as the voice of the Paralympic athlete community to the IPC.

The Closing Ceremony is an opportunity to showcase modern dance and its power of inclusion. During this sequence, eight dancers, some of whom have disabilities, celebrate the diversity of breaking with solo or group performances. This is a spirit of "demonstration" and celebration, to the sound of Cut Killer’s set.

Paris 2024 included Breaking as an additional Olympic sport, and it was a great success, setting La Concorde urban park alight. Samuka, Angelina, and Perninha performed during the Paralympic Opening Ceremony, while Haiper performed during the Olympic Opening Ceremony.

During the Paralympic closing ceremony, the Paralympic Anthem is played as the Paralympic flag is lowered by officers of the French Army. Anne Hidalgo, the Mayor of Paris, and Karen Bass, the Mayor of Los Angeles, join Andrew Parsons and Tony Estanguet on the centre stage. The Mayor of Paris hands over the Paralympic flag to the IPC President, who then passes it on to the Mayor of Los Angeles.

Violinist and Broadway composer Gaelynn Lea and rapper, songwriter, and athlete Garnet Silver-Hall perform an original piece of poetry linking our themes of dreaming, disability, and community.

Aurelie Aubert, the Paralympic champion in Boccia, extinguishes the Flame. Simultaneously, the Cauldron in the sky above the Jardin des Tuileries is also extinguished as it continues to rise. The Paralympic Games Paris 2024 have come to a close.

Jean-Michel Jarre, the pioneer of electronic music in France, presents an extraordinary show with 23 other artists at the centre stage. They celebrate the diverse range of French electronic music, creating a unifying experience for this ultimate celebration of the Games.

The legendary back-to-back events feature Paralympic athletes, who take to the stage, transformed into a dancefloor, alongside Olympic "guests". This sequence includes a light show, turning the entire stadium into France's largest disco. The Paris 2024 Games culminate in this enormous party, marking the start of the last night. Paris truly becomes a celebration.

Gavinsky's Roadgame has taken control of the stage and people are dancing and vibing to his music. The dazzling light show has increased the fun manifolds.

Only a few minutes are left at the ending of the closing ceremony of the Paris Paralympics 2024. Martin Solveig is the last performer left for today. Stade de France has been converted into a dancefloor.

Alexandre Leaute, the French cyclist who won two gold medals in the Paris Paralympics, played the last song of the night, "One More Time". It was followed by an emotional video highlight.

The Paris Paralympics officially ended with a dazzling show at Stade de France in Paris. Electronic music, dance and light shows were the highlights of the ceremony. The Paralympic flag has been handed over to Los Angeles and the flame has been extinguished. That's all from our side. Thank you and goodnight!