- The Paris 2024 Olympics concluded with a vibrant closing ceremony at the Stade de France
- Los Angeles, the next host city, plans to address traffic issues, amongst others
- Tom Cruise performed a dramatic stunt, descending from the Stade de France to hand over the Olympic flag
The farewell celebration for the Paris Games featured a performance from French indie band Phoenix, setting a lively tone for the event. The handoff to Los Angeles included a dramatic Tom Cruise stunt and featured an impressive lineup of American performers such as H.E.R., the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, and Billie Eilish.
Paris 2024 closes with spectacular handover to Los Angeles
The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris have come to an end, concluding 19 days filled with breathtaking events, stunning athletic feats, and enthusiastic cheers from spectators both in the French capital and worldwide.
The Games wrapped up with a grand closing ceremony at the Stade de France, where over 10,000 athletes paraded in celebration.
As Paris takes its final bow, attention now turns to Los Angeles, the host of the 2028 Olympics. Officials are aiming to tackle traffic issues and prioritize sustainability.
They plan to make all Olympic venues accessible only via public transport and encourage remote working to minimize congestion.
During the closing ceremony, California artists, including H.E.R., the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Billie Eilish, and Snoop Dogg, provided a glimpse of what’s to come in L.A. 2028. H.E.R. played the U.S. national anthem as the host city transitioned from Paris to Los Angeles.
In a dramatic handover, "Mission Impossible" star Tom Cruise performed a stunt, descending from the top of the Stade de France in a harness. After receiving the Olympic flag from Simone Biles and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, he attached it to a motorcycle and sped off, symbolising the flag’s journey to the U.S.
A video then showed him driving the motorcycle into a plane and parachuting into Los Angeles, where he added Olympic rings to the Hollywood sign, all set to the music of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
The ceremony continued with a live feed from Los Angeles, featuring the Red Hot Chili Peppers performing "Can't Stop" at Venice Beach. Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas performed "Birds of a Feather" from a lifeguard tower, embracing quintessential L.A. imagery. Snoop Dogg later took the stage with "Drop It Like It's Hot," joined by Dr. Dre for "The Next Episode."
All eyes are now set on Los Angeles for the Olympics 2028.
Au revoir!
Paris Olympics 2024: US triumphs in dramatic gold medal face-off against France
Previously, TheRadar reported that the U.S. women’s basketball team secured their eighth consecutive Olympic gold medal with a narrow victory over host France, winning by just a single point. The final score was 67 to 66 in a match that hinged on the very last shot.
A'ja Wilson led Team USA with 21 points, and they managed to fend off a last-ditch effort by Gabby Williams, who nearly clinched the game for France with a shot just inside the 3-point line. This win marked the closest the U.S. has come to losing an Olympic gold since the 1988 Games, where they narrowly defeated Yugoslavia by seven points.
