The Paris Olympics 2024 concluded with a spectacular closing ceremony at Stade de France, where the French hosts passed the baton to Los Angeles, the upcoming host city for the 2028 Games. The ceremony featured a range of performances and notable moments that highlighted the end of the sporting extravaganza.
French singer-songwriter Zaho de Sagazan opened the ceremony with a rendition of Edith Piaf’s classic Sous le Ciel de Paris. HER, the Grammy Award-winning R&B artist, delivered a moving performance of the US national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner, during the LA2028 handover.
The ceremony also saw impressive performances from French indie rock band Phoenix and artist Kavinsky, who performed their hits. Pianist Alain Roche provided a dramatic performance of ‘The Hymn to Apollo’ while suspended in mid-air, and Grammy Award-winning Billie Eilish captivated the audience with her song Birds of a Feather.
The closing event was marked by Tom Cruise’s dramatic rappelling stunt from the roof of Stade de France and energetic performances by American rapper Snoop Dogg, who performed Drop It Like It’s Hot and The Next Episode, followed by the Red Hot Chili Peppers with Can’t Stop. The ceremony ended on a high note with Yseult’s evocative performance of My Way.
In terms of medals, the United States topped the standings with 126 medals, including 40 gold, 44 silver, and 42 bronze. China finished second with 91 medals, and Japan took third place with 45 medals.
Bharat concluded the Games in 71st place, securing a total of six medals, comprising one silver and five bronze. Highlights included Manu Bhaker’s historic achievement as the first Indian woman to medal in Olympic shooting, and Swapnil Kusale’s contribution to Bharat’s largest medal haul in shooting at a single Olympics.
The Indian men’s hockey team won bronze, repeating their success from Tokyo 2020, and Neeraj Chopra added silver in javelin throw, enhancing his Olympic legacy. Aman Sehrawat became Bharat’s youngest Olympic medallist with a bronze in wrestling.
Despite these successes, Bharat faced notable disappointments. Several athletes, including Lakshya Sen and Mirabai Chanu, narrowly missed out on medals, and the mixed team archery duo Dhiraj Bommadevara and Ankita Bhakat fell short in the bronze medal match.
Additionally, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty missed out on a medal in men’s doubles badminton, PV Sindhu did not secure a medal, and veteran archer Deepika Kumari, along with boxers Nikhat Zareen and Lovlina Borgohain, did not meet expectations. Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification just before the women’s 50 kg final also contributed to Bharat’s setbacks. Overall, Indian athletes participated in 69 medal events across 16 sports.
