Paris has closed out two and a half extraordinary weeks of Olympic sports with a star-studded show.
Tom Cruise is lowered from the Stade de France roof during the 2024 Summer Olympics closing ceremony in Saint-Denis, France. [Natacha Pisarenko/AP Photo]
Published On 12 Aug 202412 Aug 2024
Hollywood actor Tom Cruise abseiled from the roof of the Stade de France as Paris said farewell to an Olympic Games hailed as one of the most successful.
Cruise descended on a wire in front of 71,500 spectators on Sunday evening, grabbed the Olympic flag and jumped on a motorbike, to the delight of athletes and fans.
In a preview of what the world can expect when the games head to Los Angeles in 2028, the “Mission Impossible” star was then shown boarding a plane and skydiving into the Californian city before adorning the iconic Hollywood sign with the Olympic rings.
Los Angeles band Red Hot Chili Peppers, singer Billie Eilish and rappers Snoop Dogg and Dr Dre then performed a mini-concert on a beach framed by the azure waters of the Pacific Ocean.
The closing spectacle marked the beginning of the four-year countdown to the LA Games. US gymnastics icon Simone Biles joined Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass as the Olympic flag was formally handed over.
Earlier, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach said the Paris Games had been “sport at its best”.
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“These were sensational Olympic Games from start to finish,” Bach said. “Or dare I say: Seine-sational Games,” the IOC chief quipped in a pun about the river flowing through Paris which was the scene of the opening ceremony.
“Dear French friends, you have fallen in love with the Olympic Games. And we have fallen in love with all of you,” Bach added.
About 9,000 athletes had flooded into the stadium to be entertained by 270 performers and artists in a ceremony billed as a celebration of humanity and the unifying power of sport.
“We knew you would be brilliant, but you were magic,” Paris 2024 organising chief Tony Estanguet told athletes. “You made us happy, you made us feel alive — the world needed this moment so much.”
Paris has closed out two and a half extraordinary weeks of Olympic sports with a star-studded show in France’s national stadium. [Kin Cheung/AP Photo]
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Athletes and fans were delighted by the spectacular closing ceremony. [Ashley Landis/AP Photo]
The French capital has handed over hosting duties for the Summer Games to the next city in line: Los Angeles in 2028. [Rebecca Blackwell/AP Photo]
The closing ceremony also saw the awarding of the last medals — each embedded with a chunk of the Eiffel Tower. [Rebecca Blackwell/AP Photo]
Cruise descended on a wire in front of 71,500 spectators, grabbed the Olympic flag and jumped on a motorbike. [Dita Alangkara/AP Photo]
The ceremony followed 17 days of frequently breathtaking sporting action set against the backdrop of iconic Parisian landmarks from the Eiffel Tower to the Chateau de Versailles. [Kin Cheung/AP Photo]
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Artists perform during the 2024 Summer Olympics closing ceremony. [Ashley Landis/AP Photo]
British athletes dance during the 2024 Summer Olympics closing ceremony. [Rebecca Blackwell/AP Photo]
International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach saluted the athletes as he declared the games closed. [David Goldman/AP Photo]