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-Editorial
After two weeks of exciting competitions and emotional highs, the Olympic Games Paris 2024 reached their conclusion on Sunday, August 11, 2024. The closing ceremony, marked by the captivating new show “Records,” created by Thomas Jolly, underscored the global significance of the Olympic Games. As the athletes, the true stars of the event, assembled at the Stade de France, they were celebrated by the public one last time. The Olympic Flame was extinguished, closing this remarkable chapter in Olympic history before it ignites again in 2028 in Los Angeles.
The Olympic Flame, which had illuminated Paris since the Opening Ceremony, shone brightly over the city for the duration of the Games. The Paris 2024 Cauldron, lit at the start of the Games, became a symbol of unity and celebration. Situated in the Jardins des Tuileries, the Flame drew 200,000 visitors who had secured tickets to see it up close, while hundreds of thousands more gathered on the quays, bridges, and balconies to witness its nightly ascent. The Cauldron, nestled around the Grand Bassin Rond in the Jardin des Tuileries, featured performances by French artist Zaho de Sagazan and the Haendel-Hendrix Academy Choir, who sang Edith Piaf’s “Sous le ciel de Paris,” continuing the musical legacy of the Opening Ceremony.
As the night drew to a close, the Stade de France served as the grand stage for the Closing Ceremony. Known for its dramatic setting, the stadium provided the perfect backdrop for a final celebration of the Paris 2024 Games. Thomas Jolly utilized every aspect of live performance, from lighting and décor to costumes and set design, to deliver an unforgettable finale.
The Ceremony began with a spectacular parade of the 205 delegations, each led by their flag-bearers, who were met with a standing ovation. Athletes from around the world entered the stadium together, symbolizing unity and camaraderie. They were accompanied by a medley of songs by the group Justice, arranged by Victor Le Masne, and anthems that had accompanied the French team’s achievements throughout the Games, including Johnny Halliday’s “Que je t’aime.”
A highlight of the evening was the Marathon winners’ ceremony. For the first time in Olympic history, the women’s Marathon concluded the athletics events, celebrating female athletes and symbolizing Paris 2024’s commitment to gender equality. Earlier, Paris 2024 had hosted the “Marathon pour tous,” a mass participation event that saw nearly 35,000 people tackle 42.195km and 10km courses, creating a vibrant spectacle at the Stade de France.
As darkness fell, the Stade de France transformed into a vast stage. A Golden Voyager, inspired by the Golden Record launched into space by the Voyager spacecraft in 1977, appeared in a dramatic, otherworldly setting. This character guided spectators through a dreamlike journey into a future where the Olympic Games had vanished. Set against a backdrop of light effects and epic music by Clément Mirguet, the Golden Voyager honored Pierre de Coubertin’s vision of reviving the ancient Games and revisited characters from the Opening Ceremony, including the masked Torchbearer and the horsewoman, who carried the Greek flag.
The show continued with a dazzling light display, where spectators, equipped with luminous bracelets, became part of the performance, conjuring athletes from pottery and transforming them into doves of peace. The Olympic Rings, six meters in diameter, rose from the ground and were used as apparatus by acrobats, accompanied by a vibrant performance featuring over a hundred artists from diverse disciplines.
The Ceremony culminated with a moving tribute to the Olympic Games, including a performance of the Hymn to Apollo by Alain Roche, who played a floating piano, alongside a collaboration with pianist Benjamin Bernheim. Under the hoisted Olympic Rings, the celebration continued as the athletes became part of the show, symbolizing the unity of past and future Olympic Games.
The finale featured a stirring performance by French band Phoenix, who were joined by renowned artists Kavinsky, Angèle, Air, VannDa, and Ezra Koenig. As the Olympic Anthem played, the Olympic flag was passed from Paris to Los Angeles. The French mayor, Anne Hidalgo, handed the flag to IOC President Thomas Bach, who then passed it to Karen Bass, the mayor of Los Angeles. The handover was marked by a grand display featuring Tom Cruise and Hollywood magic.
The final moments saw Léon Marchand, a celebrated swimmer, extinguish the Olympic Flame in a poignant close to the Paris 2024 Games. Accompanied by international sports legends, including Cindy Winner Djankeu Ngamba, Sun Yingsha, Eliud Kipchoge, Mijain Lopez, Teddy Riner, and Emma McKeon, Thomas Bach, IOC President, extinguished the Flame, ending his term with a memorable ceremony.
The Closing Ceremony also featured a symbolic handover to the Paralympic Games, with Antoine Dupont passing the French flag to the athletes who will compete in the upcoming Games.
