Paris Olympics wraps up with closing ceremonies
There are still medal events to go at the Summer Games but the 2024 Paris Olympics will end on Sunday, August 11th, with the closing ceremonies.
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US' gymnasts Simone Biles holds the Olympic flag next to Los Angeles' Mayor Karen Bass during the closing ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Stade de France, in Saint-Denis, in the outskirts of Paris, on August 11, 2024. (Getty Images)
Paris 2024 organizers officially passed the torched to Los Angeles 2028 organizers on Sunday as the Summer Olympics came to a close.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Olympic gymnastics legend Simone Biles were at Stade de France to receive the Olympic flag, officially putting Los Angeles on the clock to host.
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo passed the flag to International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach, who then passed it to Bach.Bach and Paris Olympics organizing chief Tony Estanguet touted the Summer Games as a major success.
“To you, dear athletes, what can I say. We knew you would be brilliant. But you were magic. ... You made us happy. You made us feel alive,” Estanguet said.
Bach used his closing speech to call for “culture of peace” in a war-torn world.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A performer descends into the stadium during the closing ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games , at the Stade de France, Paris. Picture date: Sunday August 11, 2024. (Getty Images)
Paris Olympics closed on Sunday night with a wild show featuring an astounding light show, piano performance and The Golden Voyager coming rappelling down to the center of Stade de France.
The Golden Voyager is a “character is inspired by references from French history, including the Spirit of the Bastille,” according to the Olympics’ website. The character led the look into the symbolism and history about the Olympics.
Opera singer Benjamin Bernheim sang “Hymn to Apollo” and Alain Roche played the piano vertically, somehow, as the Olympic rings were lowered into the stadium and hovered above the field. Fireworks went off around the façade of the stadium to end the performance.
The ceremony remembered the vision of the modern Olympics, which were set in 1896.
Athletes of Team United States arrive inside the stadium during the Closing Ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on August 11, 2024 in Paris, France. (Getty Images)
Team USA Olympians entered Stade de France on Sunday night as the Paris Olympics wrapped up with the closing ceremony.
Dozens of American athletes wore Team USA jackets as they entered the stadium. A lot of them were wearing their medals as the country took home 126 total medals. The number was the most they’ve gotten since the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles when they won 174 medals.
The U.S. tied for most gold medals with China as they both secured 40. They’ve won at least 40 medals in three of the last four Olympics. It’s the eight straight Olympics they’ve led the medal count.
The focus will turn to Los Angeles for the years and months to come. The Games wil be in the United States since 1996 when it was in Atlanta.
President Joe Biden posted a photo of himself on X wearing a USA cap as the Paris Olympics finished up on Sunday night.
Biden wrote on X: “Damn proud to be an American.”
The United States finished with 126 total medals , including 40 gold. The gold medal tallied tied with China. The U.S. secured two gold medals on Sunday to maintain a tie.
Jennifer Valente won gold in the women’s omnium and the U.S. women’s basketball team won gold against France.
Japan finished with 20 gold medals. France, the host nation, secured 16.The United States finished with 126 total medals. China had 91 total. Great Britain was third with 65, including 14 gold medals.
Both the U.S. and China had more gold medals than they fared during the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. The U.S. had 39 gold medals and China took home 38. Japan finished with 27.
Flagbearers Nick Mead and Katie Ledecky of Team United States of America hold their nation's flag during the Closing Ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on August 11, 2024 in Paris, France. (Getty Images)
Americans Katie Ledecky and Nick Mead entered Stade de France on Sunday night as the closing ceremony get underway.
“It’s pretty special since we’re headed to LA next,” Ledecky told NBC’s Mike Tirico.
“It’s incredible. I’m so honored and humbled to be standing next to Katie to represent the U.S. and giving the sport of rowing its first flag bearer.”
Ledecky won two gold medals in the pool and Mead was on the team that won its first rowing gold medal since 1960.
The athletes entered the stadium to a massive energetic crowd as the organizers of the Paris Games have the handover to those organizing the Los Angeles Games.
The crowd waits for the 2024 Summer Olympics closing ceremony at the Stade de France, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)
The Paris Olympics have come and gone and organizers will hand over the Olympic flag to the organizers of the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
Five-time Grammy winner H.E.R. will sing the American national anthem at the Stade de France as part of the handover. Team USA has the most medals of any country in the Games. They tied with China for the most gold medals with 40.
After a controversial opening ceremony, organizers said the closing ceremony will include “over a hundred performers, acrobats, dangers and circus artists.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
United States' Diana Taurasi (12) poses for a picture with her gold medal at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Diana Taurasi solidified herself as an Olympic basketball icon on Sunday as Team USA defeated France in the gold medal game at the Paris Games.
Taurasi didn’t play in the final matchup as the U.S. won in a nailbiter 67-66. But the win guaranteed her a six Olympic gold medal.
“We talk about that gold standard and she is that,” Breanna Stewart said of Taurasi after the game. “How many wins has she had of the 60? I don’t know, off the top of my head. But she continues to kind of come in and show up and be the GOAT that she is and whether it’s in different roles like when she first started or to now, she’s one of the best to ever play.“And I think for all of us, we’re just happy to share the court with her and we’ll make sure that we go out and get this done for her.”
U.S. head coach Cheryl Reeve shared much of the same praise for Taurasi.
“She’s ran the gamut. And, you know, in her final Olympics, the mark that she’s making in terms of leadership and just sharing the knowledge that she has,” Reeve said.“I don’t know that there’s a greater competitor for USA basketball. I mean, there’s been some tremendous ones. There’s sort of a Mount Rushmore.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
United States' Katie Ledecky celebrates winning the gold medal in the women's 800-meter freestyle final at the Summer Olympics in Nanterre, France, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Katie Ledecky and Nick Mead will carry the American flag during the closing ceremony at the Paris Olympics on Sunday night.
Ledecky won gold medals in the 800- and 1,500-meter freestyle races, continuing her dominance in the pool. Mead helped the U.S. win gold in the men’s rowing four class for the first time since 1960.
The medals helped the United States tie China with 40 gold at the Summer Games. The team tied with China for most gold medals in Paris.
The closing ceremony will feature the athletes’ parade and the handover of the Olympic flag from the organizers in Paris to those in Los Angeles, where the Games will be held in 2028.
The ceremony will include more than 100 performers, acrobats, dangers and circus artists on a huge stage.
The opening ceremony was criticized over a segment that appeared to mock The Last Supper.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Marieme Badiane #22 of Team France contests for a rebound A'Ja Wilson #9, and Breanna Stewart #10 of Team United States during the Women's Gold Medal game between Team France and Team United States on day sixteen of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Bercy Arena on August 11, 2024 in Paris, France. (Getty Images)
A’ja Wilson led U.S. women’s basketball team to a gold medal at the Paris Olympics on Sunday against the host nation, France.
Wilson had 21 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks in the 67-66 win.
The U.S. avoided what would have been a massive upset on the global stage. France’s Gabby Williams nearly hit the game-tying 3-pointer but her foot was on the line.
It is Team USA’s 61st win in a row and the team’s eight straight gold medal.
The United States and France’s women’s basketball gold medal matchup is coming down to the wire at the Paris Olympics.
The Americans held a 45-43 lead as they went into the fourth quarter. A’ja Wilson was leading the way with 14 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks.
France’s Gabby Williams was leading her team with eight points.
France was seventh in the world in the last women’s FIBA rankings before the start of the Olympics. The United States was ranked No. 1.
July 21, 2024: Soldiers patrol a street in front of the Eiffel Tower ahead of the Olympics. (Reuters)
Authorities in France evacuated the area around the Eiffel Tower on Sunday after a man was seen attempting to climb the landmark hours before the start of the closing ceremony.
The man, who was shirtless, was seen scaling the 1,083-foot-tall building. He was spotted aove the Olympic rings, adorning the second section of the monument.
The closing ceremony is set to start at 9 p.m. local time, beginning at the Stade de France in the Saint-Denis area – away from the Eiffel Tower.The Eiffel Tower played host to the beach volleyball events of the Olympics.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Jennifer Valente of the United States celebrates winning the gold medal of the women's omnium event, at the Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
If it wasn’t for China’s Li Wenwen scoring a gold medal in the women’s 81-kilogram weightlifting, the United States and China would be tied for the most golds at the Paris Olympics.
Jennifer Valente was able to keep the U.S. within one as she took home the women’s omnium points race gold medal. Valente finished with 20 lap points and six sprint points to edge out Poland’s Daria Pikulik and New Zealand’s Ally Wollaston for the top of the podium.
It’s the second straight gold in the event for Valente and the second gold medal of the week.
The U.S. now has 39 gold medals and China has 40 with the women’s basketball gold medal game to go.
Yuka Kagami of Japan wins against Kennedy Alexis Blades of United States in the 76kg Women's wrestling Final 3-1 during the Olympic Games on August 11, 2024 in Paris, France. (Getty Images)
Kennedy Blades was nearly at the top of the podium at the Paris Olympics on Sunday but she fell short in the women’s 76-kilogram wrestling freestyle against Japan’s Yuka Kagami.
Kagami won the match 3-1 to earn the gold and the first Olympic medal of her career. She won gold at the World Championships in Belgrade last year.
Blades also has the first Olympic medal of her career – a silver. She got into the Olympics when she defeated Adeline Gray, who was a medalist at the Tokyo Games in 2021.
Blades won gold at the U21 World Championship in 2021 and a silver in the U23 World Championship in 2023.
She helps bolster the Americans’ medal count.
Team United States applaud fans after their defeat during the Women's Gold Medal match between Team United States and Team Italy on day sixteen of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Paris Arena on August 11, 2024 in Paris, France. (Getty Images)
Team USA women’s volleyball settled for a silver medal in a match against Italy on Sunday. The Americans lost in straight sets 3-0 to finish in second place in the tournament at the Paris Olympics.
Italy won the sets 25-18, 25-20 and 25-17.Jordan Thompson led the Americans with eight points as Avery Skinner had seven. Andrea Drews had six points and Jordan Larson had five points.
It’s the fourth Olympic silver medal for the women’s volleyball team. They entered the Summer Games as the defending champions, having won gold at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. It’s the only gold the team has ever won at the Olympics.
For Italy, it was their first Olympic medal. The team had never made it past the quarterfinals in any of the previously Olympics they qualified for.
Detail of the Olympic corner flag during the Men's Bronze Medal match between Egypt and Morocco during the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de la Beaujoire on August 08, 2024 in Nantes, France. (Getty Images)
Could the Olympics come to Africa in 12 or 16 years?
That’s what the African National Olympic Committees Association (ANOCA) are hoping with Cairo, Egypt, in mind for the landing spot. The organization has never organized a Games on the continent and Cairo launched an unsuccessful bid in 2008.
“Egypt will bid for 2036 and 2040,” ANOCA chief Mustapha Berraf said on Sunday, via Reuters.
“Africa has the chance of organizing the Games. It will most likely organize the Games in 2040,” he added. “There is a need to look at infrastructure issues such as roads, airports. Egypt has important infrastructure potential.”
The Olympics will come to Los Angeles in 2028 and Brisbane in 2032.
The United States team of Gabby Thomas, Shamier Little, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Alexis Holmes celebrate their gold medal win in the Women's 4 x 400m Relay during the Athletics Competition at the Stade de France during the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games on August 10th, 2024, in Paris, France. (Getty Images)
Team USA began Sunday – the final day of the Paris Olympics – fighting for the most gold medals with China.
The Americans were one gold medal behind the Chinese, 39-38. The Americans have the most total medals with 123 – well ahead of China’s 90 and Great Britain’s 63.
The U.S. has a chance to get at least two gold medals on Sunday – one in women’s basketball and the other in women’s volleyball, women’s 81-kilogram weightlifting and women’s omnium cycling.
By the time the closing ceremonies start, the U.S. could be leading the total.
Jordan Chiles, of the United States, holds up her medals after the women's artistic gymnastics individual apparatus finals Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP)
The International Olympic Committee determined that American gymnast Jordan Chiles must return the bronze medal she won in the Paris Olympics floor exercise after she scored was improperly judged.
The IOC said the bronze medal was being reallocated to Romanian Ana Barbosu after the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) said it would respect the Center Arbitration for Sport’s (CAS) decision on the issue.
The CAS voided Chiles’ score after it was determined that U.S. coach Cecile Landi’s appeal was made outside the 1-minute window. Chiles’ scored was changed by 0.1, which allowed her to get into third place and win a bronze medal over Barbosu.
The CAS said it would be in contact with the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee over the return of the medal. USA Gymnastics said it was devastated by the CAS ruling.
It would have been Chiles’ first individual medal.
Johnny Hooper of Team United States celebrates after victory in the Bronze Medal match between Team United States and Team Hungary on day sixteen of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Paris La Defense Arena on August 11, 2024 in Nanterre, France. (Getty Images)
The United States defeated Hungary to win the bronze medal in men’s water polo on Sunday. The Americans took home the victory at the Paris Olympics, 11-8.
The U.S. needed to win in a penalty shootout.
The team of Tyler Abramson, Alex Bowen, Luca Cupido, Hannes Daube, Chase Dodd, Ryder Dodd, Ben Hallock, Drew Holland, Johnny Hooper, Max Irving, Alex Obert, Marko Vavic, Adrian Weinberg, Dylan Woodhead and Quinn Woodhead will have bronze medals.
Hallock had two goals in the match. Hooper, Daube, Cupido, Bowen, Dodd and Irving had one goal each.
It’s the seventh medal for the U.S. water polo team. They have four bronze medals and three silver medals. The last time the U.S. won a silver was in 2008.
The team has never won gold medals.
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