From the “city of lights” to the heart of Hollywood, the Paris Olympic Games concluded with the traditional passing of torch to the next Summer Olympics host, Los Angeles.
The spectacular celebration of the 33rd Summer Olympics began with the face of the Games, Leon Marchand, collecting the flame from the Jardin des Tuileries in the city’s center.
The ceremony then moved on to the introduction of the flagbearers and the remaining athletes before a sold-out Stade de France and viewers around the world were treated to a breathtaking display of performance art, showcasing the unique flair of the French nation.
Starting with acrobatics and performance art, and the assembly of the Olympic rings high above the Stade de France, the ceremony transitioned into a festival of French pop music. French indie band Phoenix took center stage, alongside electronic artist Kavinsky and Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig.
The energy then died down as International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach and Tony Estanguet, president of the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics Organizing Committee, both gave speeches.
“Your performances were simply amazing. You competed fiercely against each other. Every contest on the edge of perfection. Every performance 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,” Bach said.
The live events in the stadium concluded with film star Tom Cruise repelling down from the roof of the Stade de France taking the Olympic flag out of the stadium on a motorcycle, before transitioning to a plane and delivering the flag to Los Angeles.
The ceremony ended with 70,000 people watching the Los Angeles 2028 pre-recorded concert on the big screens as the Red Hot Chili Pepper, Billie Eilish and Snoop Dogg entertained the crowd from Venice Beach.
Despite the stunning venues and memorable ceremonies, sport, as always, remained at the center of attention.
Leon Marchand, Zheng Qinwen, Pan Zhanle, Noah Lyles, Antoine Dupont, Ma Long, Simone Biles, Mijain Lopez, Armand Duplantis, Sifan Hassan, and Teddy Riner are just some of the names that lit up the city of lights.
Supported by an electric home crowd, host nation France produced new stars and reaffirmed the legendary status of others.
Marchand became not just the face of the French Olympic team or the swimming events but the entire Games. The 22-year-old dominated the pool with four golds and one bronze medal, echoing the achievements of Michael Phelps.
French rugby superstar and closing ceremony flagbearer Dupont also captured French hearts and minds. Despite transitioning from the full 15-a-side game less than a year ago, Dupont lit up the Stade de France, cementing his name as one of the greatest players ever to grace the sport.
French judoka Teddy Riner further established himself as the greatest judoka of all time, returning to win yet another gold in the men’s heavyweight category.
In athletics, the Stade de France witnessed remarkable performances from Sweden’s Duplantis, Americans Lyles and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Saint Lucia’s first-ever gold medalist Julian Alfred, triple medalist Sifan Hassan, and Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo.
Pole vaulter Duplantis, with his boyish looks, broke the internet, hearts, and the world record with his perfect performance in the men’s final.
McLaughlin-Levrone and Duplantis became the only individual world record breakers on the track, with McLaughlin-Levrone defeating favorite Femke Bol in a storming 400-meter final. Lyles won the closest 100-meter final ever, while Alfred secured Saint Lucia’s first-ever medal in the women’s 100 meters, and Letsile Tebogo won Botswana’s first-ever Olympic gold in the men’s 200 meters.
For China, it was another memorable Olympics. Despite missing out on the top spot in the medals table on the final day, the nation once again broke new ground and secured its legacy as one of the greatest Olympic nations.
Zheng won Asia’s first-ever individual tennis gold, Pan demolished the men’s 100-meter freestyle world record, and Ma became China’s most decorated Olympian with six gold medals. (PNA)
