Olympics closing ceremony LIVE: Tom Cruise, Billie Eilish and Snoop Dogg star in Paris 2024 finale
Billie Eilish, Snoop Dogg and Red Hot Chili Peppers made appearances in the Paris 2024 finale and the road to Los Angeles 2028 begins
The Olympics concluded on a star-studded night at the Stade de France as Paris 2024 delivered a memorable closing ceremony.
But the spirit of the Games returned over the last two weeks and Paris provided an evening that included Tom Cruise, Billie Eilish, Snoop Dogg and Red Hot Chili Peppers as the baton was passed onto Los Angeles 2028.
Team USA topped the medal table, while France enjoyed its best return in terms of medals in 124 years, behind Leon Marchand in the pool.
As for Team GB, there were more medals on the final day to conclude a successful Games, securing one more medal overall but eight fewer gold medals than at Tokyo 2020.
Relive all the action from Sunday night’s closing ceremony below:
Ah, great stuff. The ‘Mysterious Torchbearer’ and the caped rider from the opening ceremony are back.
Basically an episode of The Masked Singer, this.
Olympics 2024: Closing Ceremony
Yep, Mr Jolly has indeed cooked up some wild stuff to close the Olympics. We have the ‘Golden Voyager’ descending from the skies. Why? A great question.
This could be Dune II.
Not my words, but here’s some explanation:
“In the distant future, the Olympic Games have disappeared again. A Golden Voyager from another time and place, a character inspired by the world of science fiction, arrives at the centre of the stadium and explores a world where Olympic Games were once celebrated.
“Following in the footsteps of Pierre de Coubertin, he unearths the vestiges of past Olympic Games in order to bring them back to life. In the course of the show, we discover several symbols that marked the founding of the Games and the values of unity and peace that they convey.
“Once rediscovered and revived by the Golden Voyager and his companions, the Olympic Games will be lifted into the sky as the greatest human monument.”
Olympics 2024: Closing Ceremony
This stage just wants some action. And as night falls and darkness arrives... we’re about to see some. Let the show begin.
What “dystopian” fantasy has creative director Thomas Jolly got in store for us here?
Please let it be Raygun.
Olympics 2024: Closing Ceremony
Olympics 2024: Closing Ceremony
Right then. The lights are dimmed are we’re about to get down to business. There’s a big stage waiting to be used in the middle of the Stade de France, and that moments is quickly arriving.
Before then, a moment for the 45,000 (!) volunteers who have given up their team to ensure the Olympics have run smoothly. One of them gave me some almost disastrously bad directions when trying to find the Acquatics Centre, but we’ll let off.
Olympics 2024: Closing Ceremony
Wow! After her stunning, record-breaking victory in the marathon earlier, Sifan Hassan is going to receive her gold medal in front of a full Stade de France!
What a moment for Hassan - who absolutely deserves this. Bronze in the 5,000m, bronze in the 10,000m, followed by gold in the marathon! An absurd feat.
And now the whole Olympics pauses to recognise it. Hassan can’t stop smiling.
Kenya’s Hellen Obiri and Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa are also deserving of their medals after a brilliantly fought marathon - one of the best ever!
Olympics 2024: Closing Ceremony
A king speaks.
We will always have Paris
— Michael Caine (@themichaelcaine) August 11, 2024
Olympics 2024: Closing Ceremony
Time for a sing-a-long apparently, which has been a feature of the Olympics.
And there’s one song that rules above them all:
Joe Dassin’s Les Champs-Elysées - a banger!
We could do with skipping Freed from Desire, which I’ve now heard too much this summer after Euro 2024 and the Olympics. Will Grigg is still on fire.
The karaoke is finished off by Queen’s We are the Champions - timeless, appropriate.
Olympics 2024: Closing Ceremony
Here’s Team GB - and they’ve found some wacky Hawaiian shirts to wear! A deep purple base with bright yellows and reds. Bold.
Could be the most divisive moment of the night this: is it a look? I’m leaning.... yes?
A bit of a contrast to the Team USA, who are wearing their Top Gun style full American tracksuits.
Right, we’re done. Everyone is out. Let’s skip the register please.
Here they are 😍
— Team GB (@TeamGB) August 11, 2024
🎥 @BBCSport #Paris2024pic.twitter.com/9gCiDeT9di
Olympics 2024: Closing Ceremony
The stream of athletes continues - including the enormous Team China. They’ve had another great Olympics, dominating the diving and table tennis once again, but they were pipped to the top of the medal table by the United States.
I’ve yet to see Great Britain, who ended Paris with 65 medals overall - including 14 gold.
Every Team GB medal won at the Paris 2024 Olympics
How many medals did Team GB win at the Paris Olympics?
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