Closing ceremony marks end of Paris Olympics with Tom Cruise and a handover to Los Angeles

What to Know

• The ceremony, marking the close of the 2024 Paris Olympics, began with French swimming star Léon Marchand taking the Olympic flame in a lantern on its journey to the Stade de France.
• Swimming superstar Katie Ledecky and gold medal rower Nick Mead served as flag bearers for Team USA in the Stade de France for the Parade of Athletes.
• Winners of the women's marathon — including the Netherlands' Sifan Hassan, who won gold and set a new Olympic record — received their medals during the ceremony for the first time.
• The closing ceremony performance included a "golden voyager" descending from the sky and a theatrical representation of the excavation of five nearly 20-foot Olympic rings surrounded by dancers and acrobats.
• The mayor of Paris handed over the Olympic flag to the mayor of the 2028 Summer Olympics host city: Los Angeles.
• Tom Cruise, who had been rumored to be part of the show, made a dramatic entrance to the Stade de France to help transport the Olympic flag to Los Angeles.
• The handover to L.A. was celebrated with a concert on the beach featuring Snoop Dogg, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dr. Dre and Billie Eilish.
• The 2024 Paralympics, also hosted in Paris, start later this month on Aug. 28 and run for 11 days.