Paris Closes Olympics with Spectacular Ceremony, Hands Over to LA

Paris concluded an extraordinary Olympic Games with a star-studded closing ceremony, passing the baton to Los Angeles for the 2028 Games. The event featured Hollywood icons and a show celebrating athletes, unity, and gender parity. The ceremony saw a record of emotions, remarkable performances, and a global message of peace.

Paris closed out two and a half extraordinary weeks of Olympic sports and emotion with a boisterous, star-studded show in France's national stadium on Sunday, handing over hosting duties for the Summer Games to Los Angeles for 2028.

In a display of Hollywood flair, Tom Cruise descended from the top of the stadium to the "Mission Impossible" theme, shaking hands with athletes, before taking the Olympic flag from star gymnast Simone Biles, putting it on the back of a motorcycle and driving out. The spectacle continued with a prerecorded ride past the Eiffel Tower, where Cruise skydived over the Hollywood Hills, transforming the Hollywood sign into the Olympic rings.

The ceremony was a fantastic conclusion to Paris' first Games in a century, celebrating Olympic themes with golden fireworks and a massive party for thousands of athletes. Highlight reels prompted enthusiastic crowd responses, and the French pop-rock band Phoenix performed, with security eventually clearing the stage.

Los Angeles sought to keep up the energy with performances from Billie Eilish, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Paris Olympics regular Snoop Dogg, making the handover vibrant and full of star power. Californian musics like H.E.R. added local flavor, representing LA's culture and spirit.

The crowd roared as French swimmer Léon Marchand collected the Olympic flame at the show's start, marking the spirit of the games and the transition of duties. Athletes from 205 countries paraded, waving their flags and sharing a message of global unity amid contemporary global tensions.

In contrast to the Tokyo Games of 2021, which were limited by the pandemic, athletes and more than 70,000 spectators at Paris partied unrestrainedly. IOC President Thomas Bach emphasized the games' cultural impact and the athletes' unity despite geopolitical divisions.

The closing ceremony awarded the final medals — embedded with a piece of the Eiffel Tower — to women marathoners, symbolizing the Games' gender parity efforts. Simone Biles boosted the US team's medal count, marking her return to the top by focusing on mental health.

Despite controversy, with death threats and criticism against the opening ceremony's creative choices, the closing event delivered an artistic and reflective spectacle, underscoring Olympic symbols and the event's historic significance.

(With inputs from agencies.)