Final medal count for the 2024 Paris Olympics
Bring it on! Los Angeles begins countdown to 2028 Olympics
Finally, dramatically, it has ended, the 2024 Paris Olympics finishing its last lap Sunday with incomparable enthusiasm, unbridled joy, and one last look at the gloriously intimidating tour Eiffel.
All of which means one thing.
We’ve got next.
Gulp.
How on earth can the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics surpass what the world just witnessed in a two-week burst of picturesque rejoicing from the Champ de Mars to the Palace of Versailles?
How can we match the overwhelming emotion from screaming fans and weeping athletes in a blockbuster Parisian party that was two weeks of pure Hollywood?
LA28 touts ‘authentically Los Angeles’ Olympics as it takes handoff from Paris
PARIS — No other city in the world can do what Paris has done over the last three weeks, staging the drama of Olympic competition against the mise-en-scene of a glowing Eiffel Tower and the lush gardens of Versailles.
The 2024 Summer Games, with their classical trappings and sheer visual beauty, raised an important question.
How can Los Angeles possibly top this?
The organizers that will bring the Olympics to Southern California in 2028 offered a sneak peek during Sunday night’s closing ceremony at Stade de France. Instead of tradition, they leaned into production values and pop culture.
Like something out of “Mission: Impossible,” Tom Cruise rappelled from the rim of the stadium to the field below, then roared off on a motorcycle. Snoop Dogg dropped a few bars. Billie Eilish performed, albeit remotely, from Southern California beaches.
The French definitely did it their way
After the Los Angeles medley, singer Yseult closed the Paris Olympics by belting out “My Way.”
The song has a mix of French and American roots.
Paul Anka, who lives in Los Angeles, wrote the lyrics and Frank Sinatra’s rendition became an international hit.
The music is set to the French song “Comme d’habitude” which was composed by Jacques Revaux. The lyrics have no similarity, but they remain very much linked.
Yseult offered a powerful rendition of the song to wrap up the Paris Olympics.
Tom Cruise and Olympians eventually hand off to the Red Hot Chili Peppers
Tom Cruise took a motorcycle to a plane and packed the Olympic flag inside a backback before skydiving toward the Hollywood sign, going for “Mission: Impossible” energy.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “By the Way” began playing in the background as the sequence continued.
He then handed off to mountain biker Kate Courtney, who delivered the flag to track and field gold medalist Michael Johnson at the Coliseum. Johnson then gave the flag to two-time Olympic medalist skateboarder Jagger Eaton, who skated with the flag and eventually ran onto a beach.
He joined fans in front a stage on a California beach with the Red Hot Chili Peppers performing “Can’t Stop” near an LA28 logo.
Billie Eilish then took over to sing a medley of hits on the same beach.
Finally, the star of the Paris Olympics Snoop Dogg walked across the sand and began performing his hit “Drop It Like It’s Hot” He was then joined by his forever collaborator Dr. Dre.
Hello, Tom Cruise
After playing the national anthem, H.E.R. strummed her guitar and actor Tom Cruise grinned while donning a leather jacket and descended from the roof of Stade de France.
He high fived athletes and took selfies on the way to the stage.
Cruise then took the flag from Simone Biles and jogged off stage to a motorcycle, with the flag mounted to the back. He rode through the crowd and out to the streets of Paris.
L.A. officially accepts the Olympic flag
And now for the start of the big handoff to Los Angeles ahead of the 2028 Olympics.
Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo waved the Olympic flag and handed it off to IOC president Thomas Bach. He then waved the flag before handing it over to L.A. mayor Karen Bass, who was accompanied on stage by star gymnast Simone Biles. Bass began waving the flag complete the official handover process.
H.E.R. then stood on stage to sing the U.S. national anthem.
President of Paris organizing committee says Games set record for most marriage proposals
After thanking a long list of elected officials and dignitaries, staff, volunteers and the entire country of France for a rousing effort to host joyous and successful Olympic Games, president of the Paris organizing committee Tony Estanguet said he never been so proud to be French. He also noted the Games set a record for most marriage proposals at an Olympics, drawing the biggest roar from the crowd.
IOC president Thomas Bach called for peace, congratulated France and saluted fans for coming together to help create the Olympic spirit at every venue. He also used his speech to seek culture of peace in a war-torn world. Bach tried to make a Seine River joke, but it didn’t land especially well.