The Paris 2024 Olympics concludes with a spectacular closing ceremony featuring performances by H.E.R, Snoop Dogg, and Billie Eilish.

Paris [France], August 12: The Paris 2024 Olympics concluded in spectacular fashion with a glittering closing ceremony on Sunday. The event featured a host of superstar athletes and artists who came together to celebrate sports at its highest level.

The ceremony began with a classic musical performance, as French swimmer Leon Marchand brought the Olympic flame in a lantern to the Stade de France, the venue for the closing ceremony.

The Parade of Nations commenced inside the stadium, greeted by the cheers of thousands of enthusiastic fans. The IOC Refugee and Olympic Team, along with France, led the parade, followed by the flag-bearers of other nations.

Indian shooter Manu Bhaker, a two-time bronze medalist at the Paris Olympics, and legendary hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, who played a crucial role in securing India's second consecutive bronze medal, proudly carried the Indian flag as flag-bearers. This Olympics also marked Sreejesh's final international tournament for India.

The final medal ceremony of the 2024 Olympics took place inside the stadium, honoring the winners of the women's marathon competition—a fitting conclusion to the first-ever Olympics with full gender parity. The medals were presented by International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach and World Athletics President Sebastian Coe.

The closing ceremony continued to captivate the audience with a stunning light show and a performance by The Golden Voyager, a character inspired by French history, including the Spirit of the Bastille, according to Olympics.com. As tradition dictates, the Greek flag was raised during the performance, symbolizing the origins of the Olympics, first held in Athens in 1896.

Following in the footsteps of Pierre de Coubertin, known as the 'Father of Modern Olympics,' The Golden Voyager unearthed symbols of past Olympics, breathing new life into them. As part of the performance, the Olympic rings were discovered and hoisted into the air in the center of the stadium, representing the five continents involved in the Games. French pianist and opera singer Benjamin Bernheim performed 'Hymn to Apollo,' while Alain Roche played the piano while suspended vertically in the air.

After these performances, the French indie-rock band Phoenix, consisting of Thomas Mars, Deck d'Arcy, Christian Mazzalai, and Laurent Brancowitz, energized the crowd with a series of hits. The performance was a musical tribute to the energy athletes bring to the Olympics. French electronic artist Kavinsky also performed his hit 'Nightcall' with a rock band.

Following the musical acts, Paris 2024 Organizing Committee President Tony Estanguet addressed the crowd, joined on stage by six athletes representing the five continents and the Refugee Olympic Team, alongside IOC President Bach. Tony congratulated the athletes and announced that they would reunite at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

The athletes who accompanied Tony included:

- Boxer Cindy Ngamba (Cameroon), representing the Refugee Olympic Team, with one bronze medal
- Table tennis player Sun Yingsha (China), representing Asia, with three gold medals and two silver medals
- Marathon runner Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya), representing Africa, with two gold medals, one silver medal, and one bronze medal
- Wrestler Mijain Lopez (Cuba), representing the Americas, with five gold medals
- Judoka Teddy Riner (France), representing Europe, with five gold medals and two bronze medals
- Swimmer Emma McKeon (Australia), representing Oceania, with six gold medals, three silver medals, and five bronze medals.

IOC President Bach also addressed the crowd, praising the Games as the "start of a new era." He highlighted the athletes' remarkable performances and the inclusivity and sustainability of the Paris 2024 Olympics, the first to achieve full gender parity. Bach referred to the Games as "sensational from start to finish—or dare I say: Seine-sational."

The ceremony then transitioned to the Olympic Flag Handover, marking the shift from Paris 2024 to Los Angeles 2028. The flag was passed from Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo to IOC President Thomas Bach, and then to Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. The ceremony also featured a special appearance by American gymnastics legend Simone Biles, who received the flag and waved it proudly.

The Grammy Award-winning R&B singer H.E.R. kicked off the transition to the LA2028 Olympics with a soulful rendition of the American National Anthem, the 'Star-Spangled Banner.'

Legendary actor Tom Cruise made a dramatic entrance, rappelling from the stadium roof. After receiving the flag from Bass and Biles, Cruise took off on a bike, symbolically transporting the flag from Paris to Los Angeles, passing through the streets of Paris and the Hollywood Hills. The iconic Hollywood sign was featured, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers performed their song "Can't Stop" at Venice Beach in California. Along the way, Olympians like Kate Courtney, Michael Johnson, and Jagger Eaton made cameo appearances.

Multi-time Grammy Award winner and pop sensation Billie Eilish, alongside her brother Finneas, performed her hit song 'Birds of a Feather.' The ceremony also featured iconic performances by legendary hip-hop duo Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre, who delivered some of their biggest hits, including 'The Next Episode' and 'Drop It Like It's Hot.'

To conclude the ceremony, Leon Marchand returned to the Stade de France with the Olympic flame, and President Bach officially declared the Games closed. The flame was then extinguished by Marchand.

As tradition dictates, Bach invited the youth of the world to assemble in four years in Los Angeles for the Games of the XXXIV Olympiad.

The ceremony ended with French artist Yseult performing a rendition of Frank Sinatra's classic 'My Way,' originally based on the French song 'Comme d'habitude.' A grand fireworks display at the Stade de France marked the end of the event.

The United States topped the medal tally at the Paris 2024 Olympics with a total of 126 medals, including 40 gold, 44 silver, and 42 bronze. China finished second with 91 medals, including 40 gold, 27 silver, and 24 bronze. Japan secured third place with 45 medals, including 20 gold, 12 silver, and 13 bronze. The Indian contingent finished in 71st place, with a total of six medals, including one silver and five bronze.

A total of 117 Indian athletes competed at the marquee event, bringing home six medals.