Paris bids au revoir to "Seine-sational" Olympics
Paris, France - Hollywood star Tom Cruise abseiled from the roof of the Stade de France as Paris said farewell on Sunday to an Olympics hailed as one of the most successful in history.
Cruise descended on a wire in front of 71,500 spectators, grabbed the Olympic flag, and jumped on a motorbike, to the delight of athletes and fans.
In a preview of what the world can expect when the Games head to Los Angeles in 2028, the Mission Impossible star was then shown boarding a plane and skydiving into the Californian city before adorning the iconic Hollywood sign with the Olympic rings.
Los Angeles band Red Hot Chili Peppers, singer Billie Eilish, and rappers Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre then performed a mini-concert on a beach framed by the azure waters of the Pacific Ocean.
The closing spectacle marked the beginning of the four-year countdown to the LA Games, and American gymnastics icon Simone Biles joined Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass as the Olympic flag was formally handed over.
Earlier, International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said the Paris Games had been "sport at its best."
"These were sensational Olympic Games from start to finish," Bach said. "Or dare I say: Seine-sational Games," the IOC chief quipped in a pun about the river flowing through Paris which was the scene of the opening ceremony.
"Dear French friends, you have fallen in love with the Olympic Games. And we have fallen in love with all of you," Bach added.
Around 9,000 athletes had flooded into the stadium to be entertained by 270 performers and artists in a ceremony billed as a celebration of humanity and the unifying power of sport.
"We knew you would be brilliant, but you were magic," Paris 2024 organizing chief Tony Estanguet told athletes. "You made us happy, you made us feel alive – the world needed this moment so much."
Athletes party as USA tops medal count
The ceremony began when France's swimming hero Leon Marchand – winner of four gold medals at these Games – collected the Olympic flame from the cauldron in the Tuileries Gardens to begin its journey to the stadium.
Local rugby hero Antoine Dupont – who led the host nation to a rugby sevens gold medal in one of the early highlights of the Games – carried a French flag into the stadium as partying athletes swarmed the field.
The ceremony followed 17 days of frequently breathtaking sporting action set against the backdrop of iconic Parisian landmarks from the Eiffel Tower to the Chateau de Versailles.
In contrast to the rain-soaked opening ceremony, Sunday's festivities began as a golden sunset bathed the French capital.
The last day of sporting action saw the USA pip China for top spot in the battle for medals after the US women's basketball team squeezed past France 67-66 to clinch the last gold of the Games.
The win – the eighth consecutive Olympic women's basketball title won by the USA – ensured the Americans finished level with China on 40 golds each.
The USA finished on top of the overall medal table with a total of 126 medals, with China in second place on 91.
Sifan Hassan makes marathon magic
Sunday began with a gripping women's marathon victory by Dutch long-distance running star Sifan Hassan.
Hassan had taken on what many considered to be a crazy gamble in Paris, competing in the 5,000m, the 10,000m and the marathon.
But in a jaw-dropping sprint finish, Hassan overhauled Ethiopia's Tigst Assefa to take gold by three seconds in an Olympic record of 2hr 22min 55sec.
She fell to the ground on the blue carpet in front of the golden dome of the Invalides memorial complex in the heart of Paris before grabbing a Dutch flag to celebrate an extraordinary achievement.
Hassan was presented with her gold medal at the closing ceremony, donning a hijab after France banned them during the Games.
Now that the Olympic Games have come to a close, Paris is preparing to host the Paralympic Games from August 28-September 8.
Cover photo: REUTERS