Closing Ceremony: H.E.R. performs the U.S. national anthem (2024)

Thank you for joining us on the official Paris 2024 Olympic Games live blog!

It’s been a wonderful 16 days of official action (and an additional two of preliminaries before that), but all good things must come to an end.

And that means for us, the journey has finished for another Olympic Games.

But don’t turn your attention away. The Paralympic Games begin on 28 August in Paris. And the next Olympic Winter Games in Milano-Cortina, Italy, are in only a year and a half’s time.

Don’t forget to keep coming back to Olympics.com for all the best sports action between now and then – we’ve got you covered, even when the Olympic Games aren’t underway.

All that’s left to say is Merci, bonne soirée, au revoir et à bientôt – thank you, good evening, goodbye and see you soon.

It’s been an absolute pleasure bringing you all the action from Paris.

We leave you with a gallery of the best images from tonight's Closing Ceremony.

Closing Ceremony: Finale

We will have incredible memories of the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

And to sing us out is Yseult – singing an interpretation of Frank Sinatra’s classic, My Way, itself originally based on the French song Comme d’habitude.

And with a last blast of fireworks above the Stade de France, the ceremony concludes.

Closing Ceremony: A special handover

As we get ready for the end of the show, we have a special handover.

French Closing Ceremony Flagbearer Antoine Dupont, gold medallist with the men’s rugby sevens team, has passed the French national flag over to the French Paralympic team.

A timely reminder Paris 2024’s Olympic chapter may be coming to an end, but the Paralympic Games will thrill us beginning with the Opening Ceremony on 28 August.

Closing Ceremony: The Olympic Games are declared closed

Léon Marchand has arrived at the Stade de France with the Olympic Flame from the Jardins des Tuileries.

The audience who have stayed are giving him a warm welcome. "Léon, Léon," the stadium chants as one.

The six athletes who accompanied Tony Estanguet and President Thomas Bach's speeches earlier wait for him on stage, as does the IOC President.

President Bach declares the Games closed, then the six athletes and Marchand blow out the flame in the lantern.

“In accordance with tradition, I call upon the youth of the world to assemble four years from now in Los Angeles, United States of America, to celebrate with all of us the Games of the XXXIV Olympiad,” President Bach adds.

Closing Ceremony: A party, LA style!

Time for LA’s side of the party – the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Billie Eilish performing for us from a very sunny California!

And, of course,Snoop Dogg, who's also been in Paris during the Games.Dr Dre makes an appearance too.

Closing Ceremony: Wait, is that Tom Cruise?

Yes, that is Tom Cruise, rappelling from the Stade de France roof!

He will help transport the Olympic Flag from here in Paris to Los Angeles, via the streets of Paris and the hills of Hollywood, as he takes the flag from Simone Biles.

And that's the famous Hollywood sign, with a few extra Olympic rings! All the while, theRed Hot Chili Peppers play in the background.

Along the way, we see cameos from friends and Olympians Kate Courtney (mountain bike, 2020), Michael Johnson (track and field athletics, four-time Olympic champion, 1992-2000), and Jagger Eaton (skateboarding, two-time Olympic medallist, 2020-2024).

Courtney takes us downtown to the LA Memorial Coliseum, which was a venue in 1932 and 1984; Johnson through the neighbourhoods of LA; and Eaton finishes the flag relay at the world-famous Venice Beach.

Closing Ceremony: H.E.R. performs the U.S. national anthem

The first part of the handover ceremony is the U.S. national anthem, the Star-Spangled Banner. It is performed by Californian artist H.E.R., who has won an Emmy, Grammy, and Oscar during her career, leaving her just a Tony award from EGOT status.

She most recently performed during the halftime show at Super Bowl LVIII with Usher.

Mayor Bass handed the Olympic Flag to Simone Biles off to the side.

Closing Ceremony: The Olympic Flag is lowered and handed over to LA

The Olympic Anthem, performed by the Maîtrise de Fontainebleau and the Orchestre Divertimento, plays while the Olympic Flag is lowered in the Stade de France.

The Olympic Flag will be passed from Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, to IOC President Thomas Bach, then to Mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass.Simone Biles is joining them on stage.

Mayors Hidalgo and Bass are the first women mayors to serve Paris and Los Angeles.

Then time for the LA show!

Closing Ceremony: IOC President Thomas Bach gives speech

Addressing the athletes, IOC PresidentThomas Bach, 1976 fencing Olympic champion, says: "Despite all the tensions in our world, you came here from all 206 national Olympic committees and the IOC Refugee Olympic Team, to make the City of Light shine brighter than ever before.

"Your performances were amazing. You competed fiercely against each other. Every contest on the edge of perfection. Every performance sparking excitement around the world. You showed us what greatness we humans are capable of.

“The Olympic Games Paris 2024 were a celebration of the athletes and of sport at its best.

“The first Olympic Games delivered completely under our Olympic Agenda reforms: younger, more urban, more inclusive, more sustainable. The first Olympic Games with full gender parity.

“These were sensational Olympic Games from start to finish – or dare I say: Seine-sational Games.”

Closing Ceremony: Estanguet tells athletes 'You were magic'

"To you, athletes, what can I say? We knew you would be brilliant, but you were magic," Estanguet says.

"You made us happy, you made us feel alive.

"On behalf of billions of sport lovers across the five continents, thank you very much.

"We will be reunited in LA28, and the Games will keep growing."

Closing Ceremony: Tony Estanguet to deliver speech

President of the Organising Committee for Paris 2024, the three-time canoe Olympic champion Tony Estanguet, will deliver his closing speech next.

He is joined up on stage by six athletes, representing the five continents and the Refugee Olympic Team.

They are:

• Boxer Cindy Ngamba (EOR), one bronze medal, representing the Refugee Olympic Team
• Table tennis player Sun Yingsha (CHN), three gold medals, two silver medals, representing Asia
• Marathon runner Eliud Kipchoge (KEN), two gold medals, one silver medal, one bronze medal, representing Africa
• Wrestler Mijaín López (CUB), five gold medals, representing the Americas
• Judoka Teddy Riner (FRA), five gold medals, two bronze medals, representing Europe
• Swimmer Emma McKeon (AUS), six gold medals, three silver medals, five bronze medals, representing Oceania

All of them get big cheers from the crowd.

Closing Ceremony: Time for a party!

Now it’s time for some music! Here’s French band Phœnix to get our party started.

The athletes are up close and personal to this gig.

Now Angèle has joined Phœnix.

Kaminsky,Air, andVannda have all also made appearances.

And now, for a U.S. touch, here's Ezra Koenig (of Vampire Weekend fame).

Closing Ceremony: The athletes are the show!

The athletes have become part of the show, taking over the stage – which is, in case you didn’t know, set out in a way representing the map of the world: five continents and its oceans.

Closing Ceremony: Fireworks!

Cue the fireworks as the Olympic Rings are finally fully hoisted to their place in the stadium in person.

On the video screens in the stadium, a highlight package of the best moments of the Games is playing.

Closing Ceremony: The Olympic Rings appear!

Speaking of the Olympic Rings, here they are!

In an impressive choreographic ballet, the Golden Voyager discovers the Olympic rings, which are excavated out of the Stade de France floor and hoisted into the air in the middle of the stadium.

During that time, French pianist and opera singer Benjamin Bernheim was singing the Hymn to Apollo, while Alain Roche played on a piano while being suspended vertically in the air.

Closing Ceremony: Nike, the Goddess of Victory

Nike, the Goddess of Victory who appears on every Olympic medal, appears as an entity in the middle of the stage.

In the stands, LED bracelets handed out to spectators produce images of athletes painted on pottery, then doves of peace, and finally, the Olympic Rings.

Spectacular.

Closing Ceremony: Recognising the foundations of the Olympic Games

As is protocol during the Closing Ceremony, the Greek flag will be raised and the national anthem of Greece played in recognition of that nation’s role in the Olympic Games.

There is a twist though: instead of this being part of the usual protocol, Thomas Jolly has entwined it in with the show, taking us in Pierre de Coubertin’s footsteps at the end of the 1800s as he revived the ancient Olympic Games.

Closing Ceremony: Welcome the Golden Voyager

The Stade de France has now been transformed into a giant theatre, dark and mysterious. It’s spine-chilling.

From the sky, a Golden Voyager appears. This character is inspired by references from French history, including the Spirit of the Bastille.

Closing Ceremony: Thank you, Paris 2024 Volunteers!

We now pay tribute to the volunteers who have helped ensure Paris 2024 ran smoothly, from the Eiffel Tower to Tahiti, Marseille to Lille.

Four newly elected IOC Athletes’ Commission members, Allyson Felix (USA), Kim Bui (GER), Jess Fox (AUS), and Marcus Daniell (NZL), are called upon to hand out gifts of appreciation to volunteer representatives.

Closing Ceremony: Celebrating the Marathon Pour Tous

Last night, 20,024 runners took part in a marathon and another 20,024 in a 10km race on the streets of Paris and Versailles, following the official Olympic marathon course.

This mass-participation Marathon Pour Tous, or Marathon for All, was a first at an Olympic Games.

We’re now being treated to video highlights from the public races last night.

Athletics: Victory ceremony for the Women’s Marathon

The traditional protocol of the closing ceremony normally features a victory ceremony for the marathon, the last event of the athletics schedule.

Paris 2024’s Closing Ceremony is no different. Except this time, the last event was the women’s marathon rather than the men’s, to highlight the historic Women’s March on Versailles in 1789.

The medallists receiving their awards tonight are:

🥇Sifan Hassan, Netherlands

🥈Tigst Assefa, Ethiopia

🥉Hellen Obiri, Kenya

The Dutch athletes are right up to the front, as close as they can get, to the podium.

Closing Ceremony: The athletes continue to enter the stadium

As the final athletes start to enter the stadium, the crowd as one starts to sing the riff toSeven Nation Army to cheer on the athletes.

The stadium announcer has just announced karaoke for the stadium:Les Champs-Elysées by Joe Dassin,Freed From Desire by Gala, andWe Are the Champions by Queen are among the songs.

Closing Ceremony: The athletes are having a party

As the athletes continue to enter the stadium bowl of the Stade de France, it's a full on party. They're dancing and taking selfies to remember this moment.

Closing Ceremony: Here come the Flagbearers and athletes!

The flags of all competing National Olympic Committees are now entering the Stade de France, followed by the athletes.

As is traditional, the athletes are entering together as one during the Closing Ceremony, rather than in teams.

Here is a list of all Flagbearers for tonight. 👇

There's a massive roar forAntoine Dupont andPauline Ferrand-Prévot, the French duo carrying the hosts' flag.

Closing Ceremony: The French flag enters the stadium

The dignitaries, including IOC President Thomas Bach and President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron, have arrived and are introduced to the crowd.

A flag party carries the French flag into the stadium, where the Orchestre Divertimento and Maîtrise de Fontainebleau will perform Victor le Masne’s rearrangement of the French national anthem, La Marseillaise.