Paris ended two and a half weeks of exciting Olympic sports with a grand closing ceremony at France’s national stadium on Sunday.
The event featured famous stars and marked the official handover of the Summer Games hosting duties to Los Angeles for 2028. One of the highlights was actor Tom Cruise making a dramatic entrance by abseiling from the top of the stadium while the “Mission Impossible” theme song played.
During the ceremony, Cruise shook hands with athletes and took the Olympic flag from famous gymnast Simone Biles. He then placed the flag on a motorcycle and drove it out of the stadium. In a pre-recorded video shown at the ceremony, Cruise was seen riding past the Eiffel Tower, boarding a plane with his motorcycle, and skydiving over the Hollywood Hills. The video ended with three additional rings being added to the O’s of the famous Hollywood sign to form the five Olympic rings.
The ceremony, celebrating Paris’ first Olympics in 100 years, featured an artistic show with Olympic themes, golden fireworks, and athletes celebrating into the night. A lively moment occurred when enthusiastic athletes rushed the stage during a highlight video, prompting announcements to guide them back to their seats. Some stayed and enjoyed a performance by the Grammy-winning French pop-rock band Phoenix before being guided off the stage by security.
Los Angeles has a tough act to follow as the next host city, with Paris having used its iconic landmarks like the Eiffel Tower as stunning backdrops for the Games. However, LA promises its own star power, featuring performances by singer Billie Eilish, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, rapper Snoop Dogg, and Dr. Dre during the handover event at Venice Beach.
The closing ceremony also included the awarding of the last Olympic medals, embedded with pieces of the Eiffel Tower, to the winners of the women’s marathon, which was held earlier that day.
