The closing ceremony of the Olympic Games has just ended in Paris. This time, the ceremony did not take place on the streets of the city, but at the Stade de France, where we watched the track and field competitions for the past week. On the track, we saw a parade of athletes from all the participating countries, including, of course, Poland.
Sheremeta and Glazunov carried the Polish flag. This is what the closing ceremony of the games looked like
Before the ceremony began, the Olympic flame was solemnly carried into the stadium in an oil lamp by French swimmer Leon Marchand, who won four gold and one bronze medal in Paris. The Polish team was led into the stadium by two standard-bearers. This time, this honorable function was given to our silver medalist in boxing, Yulia Szeremeta, and Viktor Glazunov, who came sixth in the 1000 m canoe race.
After the parade of athletes, the head of the IOC, Thomas Bach, appeared on the pitch of the stadium and handed out the last set of medals. He personally decorated the best three women's marathon runners, including the gold medalist and new Olympic record holder Sifan Hassan. Then the artistic part of the ceremony could take place, directed by Thomas Jolly – the same one who was responsible for the opening ceremony. About a hundred dancers and circus artists performed on the stage.
The Olympic Games in Paris have ended. “The Games of a New Era”
Later, the great celebration began. The gathered athletes danced to the rhythm of the French band Phoenix and the singer Angele. At the very end, the head of the organizing committee of the games in Paris, Tony Estanguet, and the president of the IOC, Thomas Bach, gave official speeches. – These were the first Olympic Games organized in full accordance with our reforms to the Olympic agenda – younger, more urban, more inclusive, more sustainable, with full gender parity. It was a sensational Olympic Games from start to finish. Olympic Games Paris 2024 were the Games of a new era, said the German.
After the playing of the Olympic anthem, the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, handed the Olympic flag to Karen Bass, the mayor of Los Angeles, where the Summer Games will be held in four years.
Later, the original US anthem was sung by HER and Tom Cruise appeared at the stadium, who literally “fell from the sky”, that is, was lowered from the roof of the Stade de France. Then the famous actor caught the Olympic flag, got on a motorcycle and took it to Los Angeles. From there, the audience could listen to another short concert.
The extinguishing of the Olympic flame took place in a very unusual way. The lamp with the flame was carried to a special platform by Marchand, then Bach and the accompanying athletes simply blew out the flame. Earlier, at exactly 23:58, the IOC president uttered the famous formula: I declare the games of the 33rd Olympiad Paris 2024 closed.
The ceremony ended with Yseult singing the song “My Way” and a fireworks display.
The Olympic Games in Paris were attended by 10,714 athletes from 206 countries. 329 sets of medals were awarded in 32 disciplines sports. The Poles won 10 medals – one gold, four silver and five bronze. In medal standings took 42nd place. The Americans were the best, ahead of China and Japan.
There are 1,433 days left until the Los Angeles Games.