Paris 2024 Olympics Culminate, Baton Handed Over To Los Angeles For 2028

After an exhilarating two and a half weeks of competition, the Paris Olympics have come to a close. The closing ceremony was held at the Stade de France on Sunday, followed by scenes from Los Angeles, the next Summer Games host in 2028.

The monumental Stade de France transformed into a concert hall as Paris bid farewell to the 2024 Olympics. Hollywood legend Tom Cruise descended from the stadium roof after Paris handed over the Olympic baton to Los Angeles. The 80,000-seater venue was packed for this grand finale.

Tom Cruise's Daring Stunt

Cruise performed a spectacular stunt sequence for the passing of the Summer Games from Paris to Los Angeles. He made a roughly 160-foot descent and took the US flag from LA Mayor Karen Bass, who was accompanied by Simone Biles. "Mission Possible" indeed for Cruise in Paris.

Cruise jumped from the roof of the Stade de France where the ceremony was held and helped the Olympic committee to transfer the flag from Paris to Los Angeles where the next edition of the games is set to be held. In Mission Impossible style, Cruise took the Olympic flag on his bike, live in front of the audience and took it to the airport, from where the flight took the flag to LA.

Among those who performed in Los Angeles were musicians Billie Eilish, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. The closing ceremony featured these A-listers during the LA handover of the Olympic Games.

IOC President's Call for Peace

International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach used his speech to call for a 'culture of peace' in a war-torn world. "We know that the Olympic Games cannot create peace, but they can inspire a culture of peace," Bach said. "Let us live this culture of peace every single day," he added.

The famous venue hosted athletics events after rugby sevens at the Paris Olympics. The Olympic flame was extinguished by local hero Leon Marchand, the most decorated male Olympian at these Summer Games.

Paris Hands Over to Los Angeles

While the opening ceremony of the Paris Games 2024 was held on the river Seine, the closing ceremony took place at Stade de France. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo handed over the flag to her Los Angeles counterpart Karen Bass, symbolising the transition to the next host city.

Medal Tally Highlights

The number of medals won by Arab athletes at Paris 2024 reached 17, according to official sources. These medals were claimed by athletes from seven countries: Bahrain, Algeria, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Jordan, and Qatar.

Bahrain's athletes secured four medals—two golds, one silver, and one bronze—making them top among Arab nations. Algeria followed with three medals: two golds and one bronze.

Egypt and Tunisia each earned three medals: one gold, one silver, and one bronze per country. Morocco ranked fourth with two golds and one bronze medal. Jordan secured one silver medal while Qatar won one bronze medal.

Key Moments from Closing Ceremony

• France's Leon Marchand extinguished the Olympic flame.
• IOC president Thomas Bach saluted athletes and declared the Summer Games closed.
• Bach also called for a 'culture of peace’ in his speech.
• Billie Eilish, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Snoop Dogg headlined LA’s takeover of the Summer Games.
• Tom Cruise gave Paris Olympics a Hollywood ending with his stunt.
• Grammy-winning artist H.E.R. performed US national anthem in Paris.
• The USA topped final medal standings ahead of China at Paris Olympics.

This edition saw Arab athletes winning fewer medals compared to Tokyo 2020 where they had secured 18 medals overall. Nonetheless, their performance remains commendable with notable achievements across various sports disciplines.