The Olympic Games ended in Paris with a dystopian closing ceremony featuring a “golden traveler” from outer space and Tom Cruise rappelling into the stadium.
“The hardest thing when you love is to say goodbye,” said the president of the organizing committee for this year’s Olympic Games before giving the floor to a team representing Los Angeles, where the 2028 Olympic Games will be held.
Gymnast Simone Biles joined Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass to accept the Olympic flag before the US national anthem was sung by singer HER.
She stayed on stage to play Tom Cruise as he rappelled into the stadium, a taste of what we can expect from the Los Angeles Olympic Games.
After receiving the Olympic flag, Cruise got on his motorcycle and left the stadium.
A Mission Impossible-style film montage followed, showing Cruise taking the flag to the USA, with a parachute jump and a mad dash to the Hollywood sign.
Team GB celebrates during the closing ceremony. Photo: Reuters
The Red Hot Chilli Peppers performed a live show at Venice Beach in Los Angeles, followed by Billie Eilish performing her new hit Birds of a Feather.
Rapper Snoop Dogg then appeared to play Drop It Like Its Hot after becoming a success of the Paris Olympics and was then joined by Dr. Dre.
Gold medalist Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands celebrates on the podium with silver medalist Tigst Assefa of Ethiopia and bronze medalist Hellen Obiri of Kenya. Photo: Reuters
Women’s marathon winner takes a stand
These were the first Olympic Games with gender parity, with women representing 50% of athletes for the first time.
To honor this, the Women’s Marathon closed the Olympic Games for the first time and Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands was presented with her gold medal at the closing ceremony.
However, there has been ongoing controversy surrounding the French ban on Olympic athletes wearing hijabs, and Hassan did not run in her hijab.
Instead, she appeared at the podium wearing one.
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The Golden Voyager performs during the closing ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. Photo: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports / Reuters
Dystopian homage to Ancient Greece
Soon after, a dystopian acrobatic display took over the stadium, with the “Golden Voyager” floating from the sky.
The bejeweled figure, played by French dancer Arthur Cadre, explored a barren landscape, before discovering elements of humanity and the Olympic Games.
The International Olympic Committee said the “Golden Voyager lands on a desert and mysterious world, ripe for exploration.”
Soon, he joined other outer space travelers who paid homage to the origins of the Olympics, which began in Ancient Greece 2,800 years ago.
Read more: Team GB finishes with 65 medals – how does this compare to previous years?
Artists during the closing ceremony. Photo: Yukihito Taguchi-USA TODAY Sports / Reuters
Artistic director Thomas Jolly filled the stadium with gymnasts and acrobats who rediscovered the Olympics in a world where the games no longer exist.
A floating piano, played by Alain Roche, led the performance of the Hymn to Apollo, an ancient Greek song.
Alain Roche plays a piano suspended vertically in the air during the closing ceremony. Photo: Reuters
After aliens “excavated” the Olympic rings, the five iconic symbols were hoisted into the air.
The Olympic rings are formed during the closing ceremony. Photo: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports / Reuters
As highlights of the video that shows the best and most exciting moments of the Paris Olympics played out, with bicycle crashes, strong punches and tears included, the athletes “invaded the stage”, dancing around bands and musicians.
Phoenix performs during the closing ceremony. Photo: Reuters
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French band Phoenix were then joined by electronic musician Kavinsky, Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig and Belgian singer-songwriter Angèle, among others.
The ceremony ended with a great rendition of My Way, performed by French singer Yseult.
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