A dazzling, star-studded live event marked the stylish conclusion of the Paris 2024 Olympics. The show not only brought together thousands of athletes from around the world but also featured some of the most renowned names in music and film.
After 18 days of competition, 329 medals awarded, and countless stories told, the 2024 Olympics wrapped up on Sunday with an extravagant closing ceremony. The evening commenced with Leon Marchand, the French swimmer who emerged as the most decorated athlete of the Games with four gold medals and a bronze, taking the Olympic flame from the Cauldron in the Tuileries Gardens, accompanied by a choir’s rendition of an Edith Piaf song.
The crowd at the Stade de France erupted in applause as Marchand’s image was displayed on the big screen, followed by the entrance of many of the 10,500 athletes who had participated in the Games.
Among the flag bearers were Algeria’s Imane Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting, both of whom faced controversy and misinformation about their gender during the Games. Germany was represented by flag bearers Laura Lindemann and Max Rendschmidt, both gold medalists.
In a slight departure from tradition, the marathon winners were awarded their medals on stage, but this time it was the women who took center stage. Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands received gold, while Tigst Assefa of Ethiopia and Hellen Obiri of Kenya were awarded silver and bronze, respectively.
The ceremony featured a wide array of performances, with artists dancing, flying through the air, and even lifting Olympic rings from the ground. Highlights included a piano and pianist suspended midair, and ‘The Golden Voyager,’ a figure dressed in gold, climbing atop a mountain of people—a character inspired by French history and the Spirit of the Bastille.
Musical performances included French acts Phoenix and Air, with appearances by Belgian singer Angele, Kaminsky, and Cambodian rapper VannDa, as fireworks lit up the night sky. Later, American artist H.E.R. performed the U.S. national anthem during the handover ceremony for the next Summer Games, which will take place in Los Angeles in 2028.
In a true Hollywood moment, actor Tom Cruise descended into the arena to high-five the U.S. team, take the Olympic flag from gymnast Simone Biles, and then speed off on a motorcycle. A video montage then showed him delivering the flag to Los Angeles with the help of athletics legend Michael Johnson and other familiar faces. The music for the scene was provided by California natives Red Hot Chili Peppers, Billie Eilish, Snoop Dogg, and Dr. Dre from Venice Beach.
