Paris Olympics 2024 Closing Ceremony Highlights: Tom Cruise, Billie Eilish, Snoop Dogg star in the ceremony as eyes set out to LA 2028

We cut to a Los Angeles beachside where the Red Hot Chili Peppers are the first to take to the stage with LA 2028 sign in the background. They are followed by a Billie Eilish performance before one of the Hollywood ambassadors at the Paris Games delivers his special with Doctor Drey: Snoop DOGG! 

We've got a taste of what that opening ceremony four years later is going to look like...it's Hollywood, after all.

Shivani Naik: Sorry for geeking out on MI & Cruise & Ethan Hunt. But in Mission Impossible: Fallout, Tom Cruise had done a HALO jump over Paris. So yea, after checking the cables were secure, he sure jumped from the roof. Also, why do LA palms all look like Props even when real?

For the 41st time, the United States national anthem plays in Paris as we look towards the 34th edition of the Games. It's followed by all the focus moving to the roof of the Stade de France where *rubs eyes* Tom Cruise is standing. The Hollywood star, who is known for performing his own stunts, jumps below and makes his way to the stage through a sea of athletes. This, to the tune of Mission Impossible. He then takes the Olympic flag and is off on a motorcycle.

We then cut to a pre-recorded montage that shows the Hollywood skydive down to Los Angeles and make his way to the Hollywood sign, which is customized to the five Olympic rings.

Thomas Bach thanks France and the French people in his address, which is followed by the Olympic anthem. Up next, will be the Olympic flag passing ceremony: from Paris 2024 we now move to LA 2028.

Vinayakk Mohanarangan: And one of the loudest cheers we have heard from the Stade de France was when Tony Estanguet said "we have broken the most important record at these Games - the most marriage proposals" 

Shivani Naik: That was a nice straight-line way to describe standout athletes by Tony Estanguet, a slalom canoe legend, the OC head. He called winners: "those who we didn't know much about, but now know by their first name."

Tony Estanguet, Paris 2024 Organising Committee President: "On the evening of the opening ceremony, when the athletes paraded on stage, when Celine Dion sang L'Hymne à l'amour from the Eiffel Tower, when the Olympic cauldron flew into the Parisian sky, a momentum was born. And the very next day, with the first medals, a wave arose. This wave submerged the entire country, swept the entire world and surpassed everything we could have imagined. We wanted strong images but also competition. We hoped for fervor. We had passion. We wanted to dream. We had Léon Marchand. Together, we experienced Games like we had never seen before. A whale even participated in a surfing final in Tahiti. Overnight, time stopped, and an entire nation began to vibrate; overnight, Paris became a party again. All of France became Olympic. All of this was possible because all of you showed up. First, you, the millions of spectators. Your passion made each first round a final of each site, an arena over-excited by each medal, a national celebration. Then, you, the Paris 2024 teams, who have worked so hard all these years, and your efforts are now magnificently rewarded. And of course, you, the 45,000 volunteers who guided our steps, brought a festive spirit to our Games. With your smiles and your good humor, you gave all its soul to Paris 2024."

Shivani Naik: They bring in Sun Yingsha to represent Asia from among athletes. Could Sreeja Akula have converted any of those 9 game points across two games against the World No 1 Chinese, who ended with 3 gold.... One of the many stabby memories for Indians of last fortnight

Tony Estanguet, President of the Paris 2024 Organising Committee, and Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee, appear on the main stage. They are accompanied by six medalists during these Olympic Games including France's Teddy Riner.

Shivani Naik: So the theme is officially dystopian, post-apocaly. It was Swiss Pianist Alain Roche performing Hymn to Apollo on the vertical piano. And the French bands are Phoenix and Air.

Belgian singer-songwriter Angèle performs to the words of Kavinsky's sound Nightcall before Combodian rapper VannDa takes the cue for one of his top songs, 'Time to rise'.

The loudest cheer from the Stade de France crowd as the popular French band Phoenix take the stage to perform one of the chartbuster, 'Listomania'. The athletes rally around the stage, and the security officials have their work cut out. It has every bit of a musical concert feel.

Shivani Naik: It actually looks like an Olympics montage, not a silly Insta reel. Or viral, bacterial videos.

Shivani Naik: There are giant sized human hamster wheels that are gonna form the rings looks like. All performers masked, just the acrobatics on display.

Shivani Naik: And a floating piano is being played mid-air. A vertical piano.

Chris Nolan is bound to be proud, as would be his long-time music associate, Hans Zimmer. Going by the pianist's appearance - minus the hair, he gives strong Baron Vladimir Harkonnen vibes straight outta the Denis Villeneuve movie. 

The golden traveler who arrived from the Paris skies is no longer alone but has been accompanied by several dancers on the stage who are enacting the excavation of the Olympic rings. Right from the golden age of greece, this is an enactment of the origin story of the Games, in the most French way possible.

Shivani Naik: Inception Nolan level architecture. They are projecting on the stadium spectator stands. It's a 4D stage

That spiky golden man is handed the Greece flag, by who else but the mysterious hooded figure clad in silver from the opening ceremony. At the bottom of the broadcast screen reads: 'The Olympic Games originated in Greece 2800 years ago.'

Shivani Naik: Trust the French to go all noir, goth in their Closing setting, before a spiky golden person walks through thin air.

Not that sorry excuse for a horror film, it's gone dark inside the stadium as the drums beat in sync with the lights bordering the stage. Those in the crowd have their flashlights on, the sporting spectacle that is the Stade de France is looking gorgeous from an aerial view as we near the performances of the closing ceremony.

What a moment this is for those who've made the Games possible by working behind the scenes. The Paris 2024 volunteers are given a round of applause from the fans and the athletes at the Stade de France.

Shivani Naik: The whole of Stade de France and the French applaud the women's marathon gold medal winner, the grand medal of Closing, the incomparable Sifan Hassan of Nerherlands, who dons a pretty red headscarf for the ceremony. Is she cool o-wot?

Here's a moment of history at the Olympic Games. For the first time, the women’s marathon - not the men's - concluded the Games. The medals for that event were unprecedentedly presented in the presence of the IOC chief Thomas Bach at the closing ceremony as a commemoration of the the first-ever full parity Olympic Games.

At last, we have the frames with Manu Bhaker and PR Sreejesh, India's flagbearers for the Parade of Nations at Stade de France. 

Photo: PTI

One of the French athletes made the most of a packed home contingent of athletes and was captured by the broadcast camera while crowd surfing on the sidelines. It didn't take long before the stadium PA blared the most popular Eurodance song for sporting events, 'freed from desire'. 

Shivani Naik: Some country's athletes sat down in single file and passed a prone athlete overhead.

Where is the Indian contingent? In case you missed it, which is likely to be, the world feed camera showed a few Indian athletes behind another contingent - for a split second - but never in focus. 

For now, all of the athletes have made their way into the middle with Team USA being the last, on account of being the hosts for the next Games. "Ladies and gentlemen, the athletes," says the stadium PA to a rousing reception from the Stade de France crowd.

She has been one of the most talked about athletes at these Games - and not just for her boxing. Algeria's Imane Khelif was put under the scanner, referred to as a man even. Her rise to the Olympic podium is a tale that is sure to be talked about for years and years to come. Here she is, flaunting that gold in front of the world. (READ Namit Kumar's piece on the boxer)

Not to be the buzzkill but does Stade de France, with all the logistics placed by the sidelines, in he middle - THAT stage, which covers a good part of the football pitch - have enough space for all the contingents? It does look pretty crammed on the sidlines  and we're not yet done with all the contingents. Well, I guess we'll find out.

And now, after the flagbearers, the rest of the athletes at Paris 2024 make their way around the stage in the middle of the Stade de France. After a couple of weeks of gruelling, competitive action, this now finally their time to celebrate their laurels or even just the fact that they are here!!

Athletes enter the stadium during the 2024 Summer Olympics closing ceremony at the Stade de France, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Amit Kamath: The Closing Ceremony starts. And of course it is Leon Marchand who starts us off! The swimmer who became the pin up boy of the Olympics, walks up to the Olympic Cauldron with a lantern and lights the lantern. He will make his way with it to the Stade de France. He’s not swimming there. So this might be slower than he has moved during the Olympics.

Following the French national anthem and a loud cheer from the crowd, the national contingent flagbearers make their way into the middle starting with the refugee team. 

A grand total of 205 national delegations, 206 including the refugee team.

We arrive to the main venue for the closing ceremony, that's packed to the rafters by now. The stadium PA introduce French President Emmanuel Macron and IOC chief Thomas Bach in the house. It's followed by a soothing rendition of the French national anthem by a 50 something-strong orchestra as the fading sunlight colors the frame a dim orange. 

French artist Zaho de Sagazan and the Handel-Hendrix Academy Choir perform Under the Sky of Paris in the Tuileries Gardens, where the spectacular Paris 2024 Olympics hot-air-ballon cauldron is placed.

The performance is followed by French swimmer Leon Marchand, who won four gold medals during the Games, making an appearance. The swimmer walks towards the Olympic flame and preserves its fire in a small lamp from the cauldron and takes his leave. To the Stade de France? Where else.

A sensational montage with an aerial view of the City of Lights in the sunset hour coupled with shots from the iconic - uhmmm, divisive but to each their own - opening ceremony. That epithet the city has been bestowed with lives up to its billing, for sure.

The stage in the middle of Stade de France for the performances has been set. It isn't the loudest of atmospheres at France's grandest sporting venue, but it is bound to get better at the night progresses. One of the things that is likely to help is the weather. The soaking wet conditions for the opening ceremony are a distant memory. It's been a sunny and warm day in Paris at 85 degrees Fahrenheit (30 Celsius). 

Amit Kamath: Five delegations (four countries and the Refugee Olympic Team) won their first ever medal at Paris 2024. Cape Verde (bronze for boxer David De Pina), Dominica (gold for triple jumper Thea LaFond), Saint Lucia (100m gold for Julien Alfred, then silver in 200m), and Albania (bronze for wrestler Chermen Valiev) all saw an athlete from their nation standing on the podium for the first time. Cindy Ngamba also won boxing bronze, the first medal for an athlete representing the Refugee Olympic Team.

Stars? Obviously. Tom Cruise has pre-record a stunt that will see the end of Paris 2024 lay a neat teaser for LA 2028. Snoop Dogg and Billie Eilish are slated to perform as well, with a lot of the details not having been disclosed, as was the case with the opening ceremony.

On the Olympics website, a description about the ceremony reads, "More than 100 performers, acrobats, dancers, and circus artists will join world-renowned singers in various musical performances. Part of the show will take place in the air, accompanied by spectacular lighting effects and the flair of the French in the costumes, with the overall effect taking spectators – both those at home and in person – 'on a journey into the past, to the origins of the Games, but also into the future, and ultimately to a timeless universe'."

Ceremony artistic director Richard Jolly describes the show as 'very visual' and 'acrobatic'.

"On 11 August 2024, the Olympic Games will be over, and the Olympic flame will be extinguished, that moment will remind us just how precious these Olympic Games are - a unique monument to a shared experience - and therefore fragile."

Shivani Naik: They'll just shrug their shoulders, and move onto their proper Battles. Paris was hip & cool, so Breaking didn't mind having a little swirl.

Breakers generate their own acceleration, their own flight and their own vibe and fandoms that doesn't need validation every 4 years. They don't need a stage, they don't really ask for funds, they outgrew flags and have global followings. They dance for themselves in silence in parks and shopping arcades and cracked terraces, and they don't mind raucous crowds, walking in or leaving whenever they please. Monkeys know not ginger taste.

Absolutely Olympics' loss, this one-Games stand. Good luck giving gold to 1 team out of 6 in cricket, and explaining to the world what flag football is. Breaking's good wherever it takes off.

So the fans getting inside the Stade de France are being handed a white wristband to wear, one that has a small box attached. It's meant to light up in the Paris night to allow the fans in the stands become a part of the vibrant closing ceremony.

Afghan refugee Manizha Talash was disqualified from the Paris Olympics breaking competition after displaying a political message during her performance. The 21-year-old, who fled Taliban rule and sought asylum in Spain, wore a cape with the words "Free Afghan Women" during her pre-qualifier battle.

The World DanceSport Federation ruled that Talash violated Olympic rules by displaying a political slogan on her attire. The decision sparked controversy, with many criticizing the disqualification of an athlete using her platform to raise awareness of human rights issues.

Talash, a member of the Refugee Olympic Team, had qualified for the breaking competition, a new Olympic sport making its debut at the Paris Games. Her disqualification has ignited a global debate about the balance between athletic competition and freedom of expression.

Leon Marchand: The poster boy of French swimming, Olympic sport and Paris 2024!

French swimmer Leon Marchand captivated the world with his extraordinary performance at the Paris Olympics, winning four gold medals and one bronze across six events. The home crowd's fervent support propelled Marchand to new heights. He became such a sensation during the Games, that organisers had to delay sporting contests at the athletics venue because fans were too excited watching Marchand perform in the pool many miles away. 

The 22-year-old is coached by Bob Bowman, the former coach of Michael Phelps, so understandably the expectations are sky high from him. 

Contextualising what made him so good, Sriram Veera wrote: “No one in history has completed the 200m butterfly-breaststroke double at the Olympics. Not even the great human fish Michael Phelps tried that. Until Leon Marchand. A double Olympic champion in one session - separated by just one-and-a-half hours.”

READ MORE

The journey of Olympic gold medalist Arshad Nadeem began in an unassuming manner, according to his early coach, Rasheed Ahmad Saqi. The now-renowned javelin thrower first caught Saqi's attention during a local athletics meet, dressed casually in a salwar kameez, a stark contrast to the usual athletic attire.

Saqi recalls being impressed by the young Nadeem's raw talent and potential, evident in his powerful throws despite the informal clothing. This initial encounter marked the beginning of Nadeem's journey towards becoming a global sporting icon.

The coach's recollection offers a glimpse into the humble origins of the athlete who would later make history by securing Pakistan's first Olympic gold medal in javelin throw. (Read more Nitin Sharma)

Algerian boxer Imane Khelif defied controversy to clinch the gold medal in the women's 66kg category at the Paris Olympics. Her victory over China's Yang Liu marked a triumphant conclusion to a tumultuous journey marked by gender eligibility scrutiny.

Khelif's path to Olympic glory was paved with challenges, including disqualification from a previous championship due to gender eligibility concerns. However, the boxer persevered, demonstrating exceptional skill and determination in the ring.

The final match, held at the iconic Roland Garros stadium, was witnessed by a fervent Algerian diaspora, their cheers echoing through the arena as Khelif secured victory. Her triumph not only brought joy to her nation but also served as an inspiration to athletes worldwide. (Read more)

Amit Kamath: So when the Paris Olympics ends, among the many things that say goodbye will be the sport of breaking that made its debut at the Paris Olympics. The already-announced sports program of LA 2028 will not have the sport making a return. Somehow the world doesn’t seem to have warmed up to the idea of breaking at the Olympics. Or the idea of breaking as a sport. The Australian b-girl Raygun, in particular, has become something of a lightning rod for plenty of sneering contempt on the internet with her routine now widely mocked on X. On Reddit, a popular thread called, “Why is criticising Raygun’s breakdancing performance misogynistic?”, throws up plenty of answers about why people are fuming about having to watch breaking at the Games. In the thread, one user thunders: “Australia had its best Olympics ever. Who the f*k will remember that? They’ll remember THIS. THIS is the enduring image of Australia from Paris’ 24” Another user fumes: “I hope we never send another break dancer to the Olympics. That s*t was embarrassing. Did she even practice for the Olympics?”

Well, she probably did practice for the Olympics. But at the breakdancing competition at the Olympics, the competitors find out what music they will be performing to just minutes before they start busting moves in front of the world. Unlike athletes who compete in artistic swimming, who finesse those moves for decades. Or rhythmic gymnasts. Or equestrian dressage horses.  

Plenty of this “how is this a sport?” umbrage has been caused due to breaking failing the simple eye test. Simply put, Olympic watchers have said that breaking simply “does not look like a sport!” Fair enough. But what is sport supposed to look like? Does chess look like a sport? Or shooting? Do artistic swimming, rhythmic gymnastics, equestrian dressage look like sports? If India were to win their ambitious bid to host the 2036 Olympics and get yoga into the sports program as an Olympic discipline, would that look like a sport?

Neeraj Chopra displayed uncharacteristic frustration following his silver medal finish in the javelin throw at the Paris Olympics. The reigning Olympic champion, known for his calm demeanor, exhibited visible anger during the competition, a stark departure from his usual composed self.

Despite securing India's second consecutive silver medal in the event, Chopra expressed dissatisfaction with his performance. His inability to replicate the form that secured him gold in Tokyo was evident, as he managed only one valid throw throughout the competition.

The pressure to defend his title was palpable, and Chopra's reaction underscored the immense expectations placed upon him as India's leading athlete. However, he maintained his composure in the aftermath, congratulating his Pakistani rival Arshad Nadeem on his gold medal victory.

Chopra's performance serves as a reminder of the intense pressure faced by elite athletes and the challenges of maintaining peak performance on the world stage. (Read more from Sandeep Dwivedi)

Indian men's hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh expressed his desire to apologize following the team's thrilling bronze medal win at the Paris Olympics. The victory over Spain marked India's second consecutive Olympic podium finish, a feat unmatched by any other men's hockey team.

The nail-biting match, typical of Indian hockey encounters, secured India's place among the elite of world hockey. The achievement holds added significance as it coincides with the retirement of legendary goalkeeper PR Sreejesh.

Harmanpreet's leadership and exceptional performance, including two crucial goals, were instrumental in India's success. His journey from the disappointment of the 2023 World Cup to becoming the tournament's top scorer in Paris exemplifies his resilience and determination. (Read more from Vinyakk Mohanrangan)

A dramatic incident unfolded hours before the Paris Olympics closing ceremony as authorities were forced to evacuate the iconic Eiffel Tower after a man was seen climbing its structure.

The shirtless individual scaled the 1,083-foot-tall landmark, reaching a point just above the Olympic rings adorning the tower's second section. While the exact starting point of his ascent remains unknown, his daring feat prompted an immediate response from authorities.

The evacuation of the Eiffel Tower, a centerpiece of the opening ceremony, occurred on Sunday afternoon. However, the closing ceremony was scheduled to take place at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, unaffected by the incident.

French police swiftly intervened, securing the area and ultimately apprehending the climber. The incident caused temporary disruption to visitors, with some briefly confined to the second floor before being allowed to exit.

Despite the unexpected drama, preparations for the closing ceremony continued, with a star-studded lineup including Billie Eilish, Snoop Dogg, and Red Hot Chili Peppers set to perform.

1. USA: 40 gold, 44 silver, 42 bronze: 126 medals
2. China: 40 gold, 27 silver, 24 bronze: 91 medals
3. Japan: 20 gold, 12 silver, 13 bronze: 35 medals
4. Australia: 18 gold, 19 silver, 16 bronze: 53 medals
5. France: 16 gold, 26 silver, 22 bronze: 64 medals

After Lakshya Sen missed out on a medal in the men's singles Badminton, Indian legend Prakash Padukone didn't hold back. The players aren't doing enough was his viewpoint. In her latest Badminton column, The Indian Express' Shivani Naik analyses why Padukone was correct in his assessment: "Because he is obsessively invested in training Sen and is aware that a badminton medal is not easy to come by." (To read more, CLICK HERE)

We're back to the more traditional ceremony after a never-seen-before opening to Paris 2024 that saw the French capital turn to a vast stadium and the river Seine substitute the stadium tracks for the Parade of Nations, with the different contingents sail on ships from the Pont d'Austerlitz bridge to the Pont d'Iéna, a stone’s throw away from the Eiffel Tower. 

The closing ceremony shall take place at France's biggest stadium, Stade de France. Per the organizers, there’ll be over a hundred performers, acrobats, dancers and circus artists followed by the passing of the baton from Paris to Los Angeles.

After he won Pakistan's first-ever Olympics medal since 1992 - a gold in Javelin Throw - Arshad Nadeem was given a grand welcome  on his arrival in front of Shalimar Hotel run by his coach Abdul Rasheed Saqi in Mian Channu. 

“It’s a matter of huge pride for our town as well whole Pakistan that Arshad Nadeem has won the Olympic gold. He has been given a grand welcome from Lahore to the village by every town and village during the 250km long journey and we are happy to receive him. His win is Mian Channu’s win and celebrations will happen for days,” says hotelier Abrar Hussain.

Every day he’s spent in Paris, Abhinav Bindra has faced one question: about India’s inability to win a gold medal at the Olympics.

In an interview with The Indian Express, Bindra — who was awarded the Olympic Order on Saturday — looks back at India’s campaign, analyses why India lags at the Olympics, and why only spending money won’t guarantee India a place on the podium. (FULL INTERVIEW HERE)

Once every four years, the Olympic Games have produced some of the most brilliant sporting highlights and, some divisive ones as well. The Indian Express lists down five most heated moments from the Summer Games in Paris, in no particular order:

-Imane Khelif boxes for gold after bout with bullying: As Algeria's Imane Khelif began her quest for a dream Olympic gold, little did she know that during the course of that journey, her life would change. It is not boxing that has fast-tracked Khelif into the limelight. An unorthodox conclusion to one of her bouts kicked off an unorthodox debate, which, at its core, put her womanhood on trial. Perhaps storming to victory in this event and these celebrations will do little to change the enormous hate and bullying she has faced this fortnight. (MORE HERE)

-Vinesh Phogat denied medal after weigh-in heartbreak: Broken knees and ruptured ligaments didn’t break her spirit. Spending nights on the footpaths of the Capital and being dragged into a van by Delhi Police couldn’t stop her. A hundred grams did. The extra weight that disqualified her from competing for the gold medal at the Paris Olympics. Even though she has appealed against the decision in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), as of now it remains one that, by her own admission, 'broke her'. Or as Abhinav Bindra put it the other day, 'the most brutal moment of Indian sport'. (MORE HERE)

-A Pakistani and an Indian finish top-two in men's javelin throw: A Pakistani and an Indian would stand on the top two steps of a track and field event podium as the world would watch on, in awe. Things like these don’t happen at the Olympics track and field. They shatter the stereotypes, spoil the narrative. Then again, Arshad Nadeem and Neeraj Chopra are born to do that for their respective countries. (MORE HERE)

-Greatest 100m race in Olympic history: The Olympics had never seen such a rush at the finish line of a 100 m final as it did on August 4, at the iconic Stade de France in Saint-Denis. In the end, US track and field star Noah Lyles leaned forward at the perfect time to be just 0.005 seconds faster than Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson to win a gold in a photo finish. All eight sprinters, bunched together for most of the race, finished with sub-10 second timings. People have run faster races in the past, but no race has been as close as this one. (MORE HERE)

-Shared gold is old; Kiwi-American choose jump-off to decide winner: Tokyo final had finished famously with Gianmarco Tamberi and Mutaz Barshim having chosen to split gold: Kerr and McEwen picked a jump-off. 'To hell with sharing the gold medal', these are not the exact words said but rather the sentiment when two men were tied at the same height after both had failed to jump any higher. New Zealand's Hamish Kerr didn't want the men's high jump final to end up becoming another feel-good moment of the Olympic Games. Kerr is said to have told USA's Shelby McEwen that he was prepared to fight it off in a jump-off. McEwen, without batting an eyelid, agreed. There would be just one winner. Ultimately it was Kerr. (MORE HERE)

-Manu Bhaker, women's 10m air pistol: From the turmoil of Tokyo to historic double-medal at Paris 2024 Olympics

-Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh, mixed team 10m air pistol: A study in contrasts, Manu & Sarabjot make magic on the shooting range

-Swapnil Kusale, men's 50m rifle 3 positions: Shooting delivers third medal, Swapnil Kusale strikes bronze

-Indian men's hockey team: Back-to-back bronze for Team India at the Games

-Neeraj Chopra, men's javelin throw: First Indian athlete to bag a gold and silver at the Olympics 

-Aman Sehrawat, men's freestyle 57Kg wrestling: Orphaned at 11, Olympic medallist at 21

Businessman Ali Tareen, who is also the owner of Pakistan Cricket League franchise Multan Sultans, recently opened up about supporting the country's recent Olympics gold medallist in javelin throw Arshad Nadeem.

"We started supporting him earlier this year. The main goal was to give him reliable regular income so he doesn’t have to worry about running his household between tournaments. It’s a long term commitment regardless of tournament participation, performance or injuries," Tareen said. (More details HERE)