All good things must come to an end, and the Paris 2024 Olympic Games are no exception. This Sunday marks the end of this year’s edition after 16 days of intense emotions, from the euphoria of victories to the tears of defeat, wrapped in the spirit of sport and competition. Tonight’s ceremony, which begins at 9 p.m., will mark the end of the Paris Olympic Games, which began with an opening ceremony along the Seine featuring, among others, artists Celine Dion and Lady Gaga.
For this occasion, the French government has prepared a security operation with more than 2,000 personnel, much smaller than the 45,000 deployed at the opening, since the closing will take place at the Stade de France, a more controlled and secure environment, unlike the massive deployment that swept the streets of Paris at the start of the competition.
The flag bearers of Spain
The Spanish delegation has already chosen its flag bearers. Athletics has been one of the sports that has generated the most enthusiasm at these Games. That is why María Pérez, who won a gold and a silver medal in race walking, and Jordan Díaz, the new Olympic champion in the men’s triple jump, are the chosen ones to carry the Spanish flag at the closing ceremony.
From Paris to Los Angeles: this is how the closing ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games will be
Thomas Jolly, the artistic director in charge of the event who also directed the opening ceremony, describes the show as “very visual” and with “great visual freshness.” As with all closing ceremonies, there will be an Olympic torch relay from Paris to Los Angeles, lasting around two hours.
The Games are returning to the stadium. Unlike the French opening ceremony, the closing ceremony will be held inside a stadium. It will take place at the Stade de France from 9 p.m., with a capacity of 80,000 people, where the sports complex will be transformed into a huge 2,800 square meter arena. As part of the ceremony, Tom Cruise will perform a Tom Cruise-style stunt to honor the handover of the Olympic flag from Paris to Los Angeles. Part of his participation is a pre-recorded segment with the Hollywood sign, the symbol of Los Angeles.
The musical lineup
The event will feature all the great moments of a classic Olympic closing ceremony: a parade of athletes, a ceremony to thank volunteers, a medal ceremony, and more than 100 artists, acrobats, dancers, and circus performers who will join the singers in various performances, including those by the bands Phoenix and Air. Once the city of Los Angeles officially takes over the reins of the Olympic Games, the artist HER will sing the American national anthem, and to represent the United States and California culture, singer Billie Eilish, the band Red Hot Chili Peppers, and rapper Snoop Dogg will perform. And the icing on the cake? Of course, fireworks.
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