Paris Bids Farewell to 2024 Olympics with Star-Studded Spectacle

SAINT-DENIS, France — After two and a half weeks of unforgettable sportsmanship and emotions, Paris concluded the 2024 Olympics with a dazzling closing ceremony at France's national stadium on Sunday. The event not only celebrated the triumphs of the Games but also marked the official handover of hosting duties to Los Angeles, the next city set to welcome the Summer Games in 2028.

In true Hollywood fashion, the ceremony featured a dramatic entrance by Tom Cruise, who descended from the top of the stadium to the iconic "Mission Impossible" theme. Cruise greeted athletes and received the Olympic flag from star gymnast Simone Biles, then made a grand exit on a motorcycle, setting the stage for Los Angeles to take the Olympic torch.

A pre-recorded segment showed Cruise riding his motorcycle past the Eiffel Tower, boarding a plane, and skydiving over the Hollywood Hills. In a symbolic gesture, three additional rings were added to the "O" in the famous Hollywood sign, forming the five Olympic rings.

The closing ceremony was a fitting finale to Paris' first Olympic Games in a century. The show was a blend of artistry and athleticism, featuring golden fireworks, a spectacular light show, and thousands of athletes celebrating their achievements well into the night.

During the ceremony, a moment of spontaneous enthusiasm occurred as crowds of athletes rushed the stage during a highlight reel of the Games. Despite attempts to bring them back, many remained on stage, joining Grammy-winning French pop-rock band Phoenix as they performed. Security and volunteers eventually cleared the stage, allowing the ceremony to continue.

As Los Angeles prepares to host the 2028 Olympics, the city faces the challenge of surpassing the grandeur of Paris. The French capital made exceptional use of its iconic landmarks, such as the Eiffel Tower, which served as both a backdrop and a venue for various competitions.

However, Los Angeles promises its own star-studded lineup, featuring performances by Billie Eilish, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Snoop Dogg, and Dr. Dre during the handover ceremony at Venice Beach. Each of these artists, along with H.E.R., who sang the U.S. national anthem live at the Stade de France, hails from California, adding a personal touch to the event.

The ceremony began with a rousing reception for French swimmer Léon Marchand, who appeared on the giant screens at the stadium, dressed in a suit instead of his usual swim trunks. Marchand, who won four gold medals, was shown collecting the Olympic flame from the Tuileries Gardens in Paris, where the cauldron, powered by electricity rather than fossil fuels, had illuminated the city throughout the Games.

As night fell, the athletes paraded into the stadium, proudly waving the flags of their 205 countries and territories. The display of global unity was particularly poignant against the backdrop of ongoing conflicts, including those in Ukraine and Gaza. The stadium screens displayed the message, "Together, united for peace," as a reminder of the power of sport to bring the world together.

With all 329 medal events concluded, an estimated 9,000 athletes, many adorned with their hard-earned medals, filled the arena. They danced and celebrated to the rhythm of Queen's anthem "We Are the Champions," creating a jubilant atmosphere reminiscent of pre-pandemic Olympic Games. Unlike the Tokyo 2021 Games, which were delayed by COVID-19 and held without spectators, Paris 2024 saw athletes and more than 70,000 fans reveling in the joy of the moment.

In his closing remarks, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach, who sat alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, highlighted the unifying power of the Games. He emphasized that the athletes had respected each other, even when their countries were divided by conflict.

The Stade de France, France's largest stadium, has a somber history as one of the targets of the November 2015 terrorist attacks that claimed 130 lives in Paris. The city's jubilant celebrations during the Games, including the 64 medals won by French athletes, symbolized a significant milestone in Paris' recovery from that tragic event.

The final medals of the Games were awarded during the closing ceremony, each featuring a piece of the Eiffel Tower. In a fitting tribute to gender equality, all the medals were awarded to the top finishers of the women's marathon, a race that replaced the men's event traditionally held on the final day of the Olympics. The move was part of Paris' efforts to shine a brighter spotlight on women's sports, a cause deeply rooted in the city's Olympic history, as Paris was where women first competed in the Games in 1900.

The U.S. team once again topped the medal table, claiming a total of 126 medals, including 40 golds. Among the American triumphs was Simone Biles, who secured three gold medals in a remarkable return to the Olympic stage after stepping back in Tokyo 2021 to focus on her mental health.

In contrast to the rain-soaked but lively opening ceremony along the Seine River, the closing ceremony took on a more contemplative tone, with space-age visuals and Olympic themes. A golden figure descended from the sky into a swirling world of smoke and stars, while the Olympic flag of Greece and the iconic five interlaced rings were illuminated in the arena, where thousands of lights twinkled like fireflies.

Thomas Jolly, the artistic director responsible for both the opening and closing ceremonies, faced criticism for parts of the opening show, which some perceived as mocking Christianity. The backlash, which included death threats and online vitriol, stemmed from a segment featuring drag queens and an LGBTQ+ icon, which some believed parodied Leonardo Da Vinci's "The Last Supper." However, Jolly and his team repeatedly denied this intention, receiving support from President Macron, who expressed his disappointment over the controversy.

As the 2024 Olympics came to a close, Paris bid farewell to the world, leaving behind a legacy of spectacular achievements, artistic brilliance, and a powerful message of unity. The baton now passes to Los Angeles, a city poised to bring its own flair to the Games in 2028.