City of love makes world swoon in closing ceremony full of heart

Tom Cruise took centrestage as the world said farewell to Paris after the City of Light pulled off Mission Impossible. With a spectacular blend of avant-garde* French culture, pulsing rock, heroes and crazy love, we bid France a fond au revoir* et merci* after an incredible Olympic Games.

Two weeks of nailbiting and at times controversial competition ended with a moving and memorable closing ceremony at Stade de France.

With a theme of rebirth* and unification*, the ceremony was designed to empower dreamers and remind the world that with darkness comes the light.

In a time of global turmoil, Paris delivered one of the greatest Games in history despite security fears.

“You created a culture of peace; this inspired all of us and billions of people around the globe,” IOC president Thomas Bach said. “Thank you for making us dream, thank you for making us believe in a better world for everyone. We know the Olympic Games cannot create peace … but the Olympic Games can create a culture of peace that inspires the world.

“Let us live this culture of peace every single day.”

Paris 2024 president Tony Estanguet revealed Paris – the city of crazy love – had set a record for the most marriage proposals at an Olympic Games.

“We knew you would be brilliant, but you were magic,” he said.

“Hope, inspiration, love … The world needed these emotions so much.”

French swimming hero Leon Marchand swapped his togs for a sleek black suit and tie to extinguish the cauldron and start the Olympic flame’s journey from the Louvre to the stadium.

Security remained tight around the near-capacity venue, overseen by mounted police and a chopper.

Swimmer Kaylee McKeown and sailor Matt Wearn, who both won gold in Paris, represented Australia’s most successful ever Olympic team as our flag-bearers.

Athletes galloped, skipped and selfie-d their way into the stadium early to become part of the ceremony, with artistic director Thomas Jolly eager to make them key “actors in this grand finale”.

Renditions of Joe Dassin’s Les Champs-Élysées and Queen’s We are the Champions had the athletes rocking, while the party hit top gear when Tom Cruise emerged to steal the show.

The Hollywood A-lister and stuntman leapt from the roof of Stade de France in a stunning climax to the ceremonial Olympic flag handover from Paris to Los Angeles.

He was embraced by athletes and volunteers, with one appearing to go in for a sneaky kiss.

Cruise jumped on a motorbike and, thanks to some Hollywood magic, the live audience and viewers worldwide then watched the screen as he was shown crossing the Atlantic, parachuting from a US Air Force plane and running up the Hollywood Hill – with the iconic* sign naturally sporting the Olympic rings.

Cruise’s journey was to the tune of Red Hot Chili Peppers’ smash hit By The Way, which they performed live from LA’s famous Venice Beach.

Superstars Billie Eilish, Snoop Dogg and Dr Dre also performed live.

The closing ceremony in Paris included separate French and American components as Paris handed the Olympic flag to Los Angeles ahead of 2028.

In the French section, the Stade de France was transformed into one giant concert hall for an extravaganza titled “Records”.

More than 100 performers, acrobats, dancers and circus artists spanned the 2800 sqm stage and, after 35 days of rehearsal, put on a flawless* performance.

From beach volleyball parties under the Eiffel Tower to skateboarders carving up the historic La Concorde – the plaza Parisians once used to execute kings and queens including Marie Antoinette* – Paris has raised the Olympic bar to soaring heights.

After just a taste at the closing ceremony, the power of Hollywood glitz and glamour promises to create another show to remember when the City of Angels* hosts the LA Games in 2028, 40 years since the city last welcomed Olympic athletes back in 1984.

POLL

GLOSSARY

• avant-garde: experimental, new, innovative, generally refers to the arts and fashion
• au revoir: “goodbye” in French
• et: “and” in French
• merci: “thank you” in French
• rebirth: revival, reawakening, a new period of growth of something
• unification: process of coming together and being made whole
• flawless: perfect, without any mistakes
• Marie Antoinette: lived 1755–93, the last queen of France married Louis XVI in 1774. Her opposition to reform fed unrest during the French Revolution, leading to her beheading and the overthrow of the monarchy
• City of Angels: “the angels” is the direct translation of Los Angeles from Spanish and came from early settlers who moved to the emerging colony from Mexico and Spain in the 1700s

EXTRA READING

Paris Olympic Update: Days 14-16

Paris Olympics: week two highlights to Day 13

Paris Olympics: first week highlights

QUICK QUIZ

1. Who leapt from the roof of the Stade de France and stole the show?
2. Which two gold medallists from these Games were Australia’s flag-bearers at the closing ceremony?
3. Where will the next Summer Olympics be held and in what year did the city last host?
4. What were the two themes of the closing ceremony in Paris?
5. Who officially extinguished the cauldron’s flame?

LISTEN TO THIS STORY

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Culture of peace
“Let us live this culture of peace every single day.”

This is the message the International Olympic Committee (IOC) president wants us to take from the Paris Olympic Games.

How can a sporting event such as the Olympic Games encourage world peace and harmony? Brainstorm some ideas below:

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Time: allow 15 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Health and Physical Education, Personal and Social, Critical and Creative Thinking

2. Extension
Did the Olympic Games closing ceremony excite you for the Los Angeles Games in 2028?

How old will you be when those Games happen?

What sports do you think might be new for the 2028 Games?

Would you like to attend these games, or wait until Brisbane in 2032?

Time: allow 15 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Health and Physical Education, Personal and Social, Critical and Creative Thinking

VCOP ACTIVITY
A new Olympic category
The Olympic committee has decided they should revise the Olympic sports and make sure they haven’t left out any competition. Write a letter to the Olympic Committee trying to convince them that your own talent should be classed as a sport and included in the next Olympics. Remember to include clear reasons why your talent should be included, use persuasive and emotive language, and back up your reasons with detailed explanations.