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Seine-sational! Paris bids triumphant 'au revoir' to Olympics

rugby11 August 2024 22:10| © AFP
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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.

"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 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 organising chief Tony Estanguet told athletes. "You made us happy; you made us feel alive -- the world needed this moment so much."

ATHLETES PARTY

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.

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