From the “city of lights” to the heart of Hollywood, the Paris Olympics concluded last night with the passing of the torch to the next host of the Summer Games, Los Angeles.
The closing ceremony held at the Stade de France Stadium was enlivened by a stunning artistic performance, which showcased the unique talents of the French nation.
Starting with acrobatics and performance art, and the placing of the Olympic rings atop the Stade de France, the ceremony turned into a French pop music festival. French indie band Phoenix took center stage, alongside electronic artist Kavinsky and Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig.
The energy then subsided as International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach and Tony Estanguet, president of the Paris 2024 Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, delivered speeches.
“Your performances were truly amazing. You competed fiercely with each other. Every match was on the verge of perfection. Every performance sparked joy around the world. You showed us how great humanity can be. The Paris 2024 Olympic Games are a celebration of the best in sports and athletes,” Bach said.
The live event at the stadium concluded with film star Tom Cruise descending from the roof of the Stade de France carrying the Olympic flag out of the stadium on a motorbike, before jumping onto a plane and delivering the flag to Los Angeles.
The ceremony ended with 70,000 people watching a concert broadcast in anticipation of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics on big screens as Red Hot Chili Peppers, Billie Eilish and Snoop Dogg entertained the crowd from Venice Beach.
Despite the stunning venues and impressive ceremonies, the athletes, as always, remain 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 were just a few of the names that lit up the city of lights. Backed by a passionate home crowd, host nation France produced new stars and reaffirmed the legendary status that other nations hold.
Marchand is not only the face of the French Olympic team or swimming, but the entire Olympics. The 22-year-old dominated swimming with four gold medals and one bronze, emulating Michael Phelps.
French rugby superstar and closing ceremony flagbearer Dupont also captivated the hearts of the French nation. He lit up the Stade de France, cementing his place as one of the greatest players to ever grace the sport.
French judoka Teddy Riner further cemented his place as the greatest judoka of all time, winning another gold medal in the men’s heavyweight category.
In athletics, the Stade de France witnessed outstanding performances from Sweden’s Duplantis, Americans Lyles and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Saint Lucia’s first gold medallist Julian Alfred, triple medallist Sifan Hassan and Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo. Pole vaulter Duplantis, with his boyish looks, broke the world record with his flawless performance in the men’s final.
McLaughlin-Levrone and Duplantis were the only individual world record breakers on the track, with McLaughlin-Levrone beating favorite Femke Bol in a thrilling 400-meter final. Lyles won a closely fought 100-meter final, while Alfred secured Saint Lucia’s first medal in the women’s 100 meters, and Letsile Tebogo won Botswana’s first Olympic gold in the men’s 200 meters. (Xinhua/M-3)
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