Paris Olympics 2024, the tournament that began unconventionally on a blockbuster note on the beautiful Seine River, came to an end stunningly with the Stade de France turning into a concert hall on Monday. Hollywood legend Tom Cruise stole the show by performing an epic stunt to bring down the curtains on the Summer Games.
Notably, more than 71,000 spectators were present in the stands, and millions of fans from around the world joined to celebrate the extraordinary athletic endeavors, in the form of nearly 850 medals won and 42 records broken (including 10 world records and 32 Olympic records). As many as 14 gold medals were up for grabs on the final day of the Paris Olympics 2024.
Meanwhile, the closing ceremony was filled with several memorable moments including the ‘Mission Possible’ performance by the legendary actor Tom Cruise. Several A-listers Billie Eilish, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dr. Dre, and Snoop Dogg stole the show with their performances during the closing ceremony during the LA handover of the Olympic Games.
Here, in this article, we bring you 5 biggest highlights of the Paris Olympics 2024:
‘Mission Possible’ ft. Tom Cruise:
Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise left everyone mesmerized with his spectacular stunt sequence for the passing of the Summer Games from Paris to Los Angeles. The traditional gesture of the transfer included handing off the Olympic flag from one country to the other.
After making a stunning 160-foot descent, Tom Cruise met with the athletes and high-fives them and then he took the US flag from LA Mayor Karen Bass, who Simone Biles accompanied. This act was followed by a pre-recorded video of Tom Cruise skydiving onto the Hollywood sign in Los Angeles.
Paris passing the Olympic flag to Los Angeles:
The opening ceremony took place at the den of the French national football team, Stade de France. The same venue hosted athletics events after rugby sevens at the Paris Olympics 2024. Before passing the baton to Los Angeles, the flame of the Paris Olympics was extinguished by the most decorated male Olympians at the Summer Games – Leon Marchand.
The mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo handed the flag to her Los Angeles counterpart – Karen Bass.
IOC President Thomas Bach saluted the athletes:
International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach saluted the athletes and declared the Paris Summer Games 2024 closed. “We know that the Olympic Games cannot create peace, but the Olympic Games can create a culture of peace that inspires the world,” Bach said. “Let us live this culture of peace every single day,” Bach added.
Billie Eilish, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Snoop Dogg headlined the LA takeover of the Summer Games
Artists including the Grammy and Academy Award-winning Billie Eilish, Grammy-winning Red Hot Chili Peppers, Snoop Dogg, and Grammy, Academy, and Emmy Award-winning artist H.E.R. performed the U.S. national anthem live in Paris.
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A golden voyager performed during the closing ceremony:
The “Golden Voyager” was introduced in the Stade de France, in an imagining of a time without the Olympics. The character of Golden Voyager holds a significant importance and has quite a history. It was inspired by several references from France’s historical heritage, starting with the Spirit of the Bastille.
