Saurban
  • Home
  • News
  • Local
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
Reading: Paris ends 2024 Olympics with star-studded finale
Share
SaurbanSaurban
Font ResizerAa
  • Home
  • News
  • Local
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
Search
  • Home
  • News
  • Local
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
Saurban © 2024. All Rights Reserved.
Saurban > Blog > Sports > Paris ends 2024 Olympics with star-studded finale
Sports

Paris ends 2024 Olympics with star-studded finale

San Antonio Urban Editorial Team
Last updated: 2024/08/11 at 7:30 PM
San Antonio Urban Editorial Team Published August 11, 2024
Share
Paris ends 2024 Olympics with star-studded finale

Paris Olympics 2024 Wrap-Up: The Closing Ceremony

SAINT-DENIS – Paris is closing out two and a half extraordinary weeks of Olympic sports and emotion with a star-studded sunset show in France’s national stadium, handing over hosting duties for the Summer Games to the next city in line: Los Angeles in 2028.

Speculation was rife that Hollywood star Tom Cruise — seen around town during the final weekend — would feature in the closing ceremony that unlike the rain-drenched July 26 opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Games, basked in sunny, hot weather.

Shortly after French President Emmanuel Macron and International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach had taken their seats, the ceremony opened with a singer belting out “Under the skies of Paris” — sung in the past by Edith Piaf and others.

The stadium crowd roared as French swimmer Léon Marchand, dressed in a suit and tie instead of the swim trunks he wore to win four golds, was shown on the giant screens collecting the Olympic flame from the Tuileries Gardens in Paris.

For Los Angeles, topping Paris could be mission impossible. The French capital made spectacular use of its cityscape for its first Games in 100 years. The Eiffel Tower and other iconic monuments became Olympic stars in their own right, serving as backdrops and in some cases venues for competitions.

But Los Angeles was bringing star power of its own: singer Billie Eilish, rapper and Paris Olympics mainstay Snoop Dogg, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers are scheduled to perform Sunday as part of the handover from the City of Light to the City of Angels.

Each of the music artists is a California native, including H.E.R., who is expected to sing the U.S. national anthem live at the Stade de France, which hosted Olympic track and field and rugby sevens. The audience was expected to top 70,000 people.

The stadium, France’s largest, was one of the targets of Islamic State gunmen and suicide bombers who killed 130 people in and around Paris on Nov. 13, 2015. The joy and celebrations that swept Paris during the Games as Marchand and other French athletes racked up 64 medals — 16 of them gold — marked a major watershed in the city’s recovery from that night of terror.

The closing ceremony also will see the last medals — each embedded with a chunk of the Eiffel Tower — hung around athletes’ necks.

Fittingly for the first Olympics that aimed for gender parity, they’ll all be women — the gold, silver and bronze winners from the women’s marathon earlier Sunday.

The U.S. team again topped the medal table, with 126 in all and 40 of them gold. Three were courtesy of gymnast Simone Biles, who made a resounding return to the top of the Olympic podium after prioritizing her mental health instead of competition in Tokyo in 2021.

Following controversy that enveloped the opening ceremony — assailed by former U.S. President Donald Trump, French bishops and others over segments they felt poked fun at Christianity — the closing ceremony was being closely watched to see whether artistic director Thomas Jolly had any more surprises in store.

Jolly and other members of his creative team filed police complaints over death threats and online vitriol targeting them and some of opening show’s performers.

Critics jumped to the conclusion that a segment featuring drag queens and a DJ who is also an LGBTQ+ icon had parodied “The Last Supper,” Leonardo Da Vinci’s painting showing Jesus Christ.

Jolly and his team repeatedly insisted that was never their intention and got backing from Macron, who described himself as “outraged and sad” by the backlash against them.

___

AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

You Might Also Like

Dodgers to lead off NLDS with Jack Flaherty, Yamamoto for Game 2

Ibáñez’s crucial hit propels Tigers to 5-2 victory, sweep Astros in AL Wild Card Series

Pete Rose still banned from Hall of Fame; MLB ban permanent, not ‘lifetime’

Mavs’ Doncic injures calf in practice, evaluation in a week

Atalanta & Feyenoord triumph in revamped Champions League

Sign Up For Daily Newsletter

Be keep up! Get the latest breaking news delivered straight to your inbox.

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
San Antonio Urban Editorial Team August 11, 2024 August 11, 2024
Share This Article
Facebook Twitter Email Copy Link Print
Previous Article In a California town with no addresses, where do you reside? In a California town with no addresses, where do you reside?
Next Article Southport mourns 9-year-old stabbing victim, urges end to unrest Southport mourns 9-year-old stabbing victim, urges end to unrest
Leave a comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Follow US

Find US on Socials
Facebook Like
Twitter Follow
Youtube Subscribe
Telegram Follow

Subscribe to our newslettern

Get Newest Articles Instantly!

- Advertisement -
Ad image
Popular News
Seguin business hosting free mental health fair this Saturday
Seguin business hosting free mental health fair this Saturday
Trump to attend Black journalists’ convention in Chicago
Trump to attend Black journalists’ convention in Chicago
Tech Raptor: Pioneering AI Solutions for a Digital Future
Tech Raptor: Pioneering AI Solutions for a Digital Future

Follow Us on Socials

We use social media to react to breaking news, update supporters and share information

Twitter Youtube Telegram Linkedin
Saurban

Discover the stories that make San Antonio unique, with in-depth coverage and timely updates on local news and events..

Subscribe to our newsletter

You can be the first to find out the latest news and tips

  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
Reading: Paris ends 2024 Olympics with star-studded finale
Share
Saurban © 2024. All Rights Reserved.
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?