A mascot of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games will be seen during the closing ceremony on Sunday.
08:35 JST, September 9, 2024
PARIS, Sept 8 (Reuters) – The Paris 2024 Olympic Games ended as they began: in the rain, but in a festive atmosphere with an electro party at the Stade de France to close the Paralympic Games on Sunday.
The final part of the event featured some 24 French DJs, including electronic music pioneer Jean-Michel Jarre and Cassius.
Earlier in the day, the 169 delegations paraded to the tune of French classics, which were enthusiastically sung along to by the audience.
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo presented the Paralympic flag to International Paralympic Committee President Andrew Parsons, who then presented it to Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass – the first black female mayor to receive the Paralympic flag at the closing ceremony.
The American national anthem was sung by Ali Stroker.
“Nobody wants these Games to end,” said Paris 2024 president Tony Estanguet, as Paris passes the baton to Los Angeles for the next Summer Games.
“We have broken many records, so tonight we are going to break another one. I ask you to give the para-athletes the longest, loudest, craziest ovation they have ever received,” he added to deafening cheers from the 64,000 spectators, in sharp contrast to the booing of the crowd when French President Emmanuel Macron appeared.
Estanguet also urged spectators and viewers not to forget “this summer, when France was happy”.
The Olympic spectacle, which was to be lifted into the air for the last time in a hot-air balloon from the Jardin des Tuileries near the Louvre Museum, was grounded by rain before the flame was extinguished, the only sad sound of the evening.
