Olympics closing ceremony latest: Paris Games set to close at Stade de France

SAINT-DENIS, France (AP) — The 2024 Olympics are drawing to a close Sunday with an elaborate closing ceremony at the Stade de France just north of Paris.

It’s a more traditional setting after the Seine River was used for the audacious opening ceremony, but don’t expect it to be dull. There’ll be over a hundred performers, acrobats, dancers and circus artists, the organizers say.

Time for a light show

The lights are going down. The orchestra is tuning in. A light show is going on on the roof of the Stade de France.

Athletes are getting comfortable on the floor

Some of the athletes have started taking seats on the floor of the stadium. The two-and-a-half-hour long ceremony is not yet at its halfway point.

The party takes a pause for ceremony

At the moment, this feels more ceremonial than festive. Some polite cheers for Olympic volunteers and new members of the IOC athletes commission. Could use some more Justice music.

Stade de France is ready for some drama

The lights have gone out and the smoke machines are on at Stade de France.

Sifan Hassan accepts gold in a hijab

Hassan, wearing a hijab, stepped onto the platform to accept gold at the closing ceremony in a country that does not allow its own athletes to wear the headscarf.

The hijab ban in France became an issue for the Games’ opening ceremony, after French sprinter Sounkamba Sylla said she was initially not allowed to participate because she wears hijab. In the end, she wore a cap to cover her hair, after reaching an agreement with the French Olympic Committee.

The Olympic marathon course was open to the public

A video of highlights from the Marathon Pour Tous is being shown at the closing ceremony. The race on Saturday night was open to the public and run on the same course as the one used by the Olympic athletes. There were 20,024 participants registered for each race (42.195km and 10km).

The women’s marathon medals are the last awarded at the Paris Games

For the first time, the women’s marathon concluded the Olympics. The medals for that event were unprecedentedly presented at the closing ceremony as a commemoration of the the first ever full parity Olympic Games.

Sifan Hassan gets her gold

Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands (gold), Tigst Assefa of Ethiopa (silver) and Hellen Obiri of Kenya are getting their medals on a platform surrounded by the rest of the athletes. They are truly center stage.

Colombia is here to party

Among the most rowdy of delegations is Colombia, which walked out to the stadium wearing massive striped Colombian sombreros and bright yellow jerseys. In pure Colombian fashion, they formed a dance circle and had to be herded back into place by volunteers.

A few screens have gone out in the stadium

The four massive screens in the stadium went dark momentarily as the athletes continued circling the stage. This was the first technical glitch of the evening.

Three of the large screens are still not showing images from the scene on the ground.

Medals or not, everyone sings along to ‘We Are the Champions’

Time for a break from the French music. Queen’s “We are the Champions” is on now absolutely blaring. No need for lyrics for this one, folks.

It’s a dance party now

The closing ceremony has turned into a sing-along to “Freed from Desire” by Gala — with fans and athletes jumping up and down as lyrics to the song are shown on video screens.

An 80,000 fan sing-a-long

A medley of crowd-pleasing French songs is played loudly over the loudspeakers, with the lyrics displayed on the stadium’s giant screens. “Emmenez-Moi” by French icon Charles Aznavour, then “Au Champs-Élysées” by Joe Dassin. The crowd sings along.

Crowd surfing at the closing ceremony

One thing that was not possible on boats: one of France’s athletes was crowd surfing. Maybe a new Olympic sport for LA?

More than 10,000 athletes competed in these Games

The athletes are taking in the world’s spotlight on them one last time. Over 19 days of competition, more than 10,000 athletes competed in 32 sports in over 35 venues across France and Tahiti.

Many of the athletes in attendance tonight are sporting their medals around their necks. They’ll be leaving the Games with a piece of Paris — each medal contains 18 grams of iron from the Eiffel Tower itself.

It’s not the Seine, but it’s a festive atmosphere

“Ladies and gentlemen, the athletes!” drew a big cheer from the more than 70,000 fans who have packed the stands.

Justice is the soundtrack for the athletes’ parade

From “D.A.N.C.E.” to “We Are Your Friends” and “Civilization,” many songs by French DJ duo Justice are being played in the stadium. Justice have previously worked with Victor Le Masne, who is the musical director for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games.

The Americans have arrived

The U.S. is here wearing Ralph Lauren jackets with the American flag on the back. The U.S. tied China for the most gold medals with 40 and had the most overall, 126.

Fans were thrilled to see Khelif

Big cheers rose up from the Nations Park fan zone in Paris when Khelif appeared on the screens.

Khelif appears with the rest of Algeria’s team

Gold medal-winning boxer Imane Khelif is here with Algeria’s delegation, though she’s not holding the flag.

The Japanese are fans of the Olympic mascot, apparently

Athletes are still pouring in from tunnels on either side of the stadium. Some are wearing their medals. A couple from Japan have hats of the Olympic mascot, Phryge.

It looks hot on the Stade de France floor

Thousands of athletes and staff from the 205 delegations continue to stream onto the floor of the stadium. Some are using portable hand fans to cool off under the bright lights. Temperatures in Paris reached 90 ° F on Sunday.

Some athletes went traditional for closing ceremony outfits

Some athletes, like those representing the delegations from Afghanistan, Cameroon and Benin, among others, wore traditional clothing from their home countries. Others donned track suits or official uniforms.

Katie Ledecky says she’d ‘love to swim in 2028’

Katie Ledecky, mic’d up by NBC, said as she carried the American flag into the closing ceremony that “I’d love to swim in 2028, I think swimming in front of a home crowd would be incredible. I am going to take it one year at a time.”

Ledecky says this is her first Olympics she stayed the second week after swimming concluded and was able to attend other events, including multiple basketball games. “I’ve gotten to meet so many athletes from so many different sports. I’ve just been cheering my head off.”

Khelif was supposed to carry Algeria’s flag

Boxer Imane Khelif was expected to carry Algeria’s flag, but instead, gold medal-winning gymnast Kaylia Nemour and bronze-winning track star Djamel Sedjati are holding it — not Khelif. It’s unclear why the change was made.

Ledecky, Mead carry U.S. flag

Katie Ledecky is leaving the Paris Games with gold medals in the women’s 800-meter freestyle and 1,500-meter freestyle, which increased her career haul to nine Olympic golds. She is carrying the U.S. flag with rower Nick Mead, who helped the U.S. win its first Olympic gold medal in the men’s four class since 1960.

United States flag bearer’s Katie Ledecky and Nick Mead walk into the stadium during the 2024 Summer Olympics closing ceremony at the Stade de France, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Some of the biggest Olympics stars are now on the floor

Flag bearers are entering the stadium. Katie Ledecky and Imane Khelif are among them.

Flagbearers arrive on the pitch during the 2024 Summer Olympics closing ceremony at the Stade de France, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Stade de France looks ready for serious theatrics

There’s been a lot of speculation over some of the theatrics expected for Paris 2024’s Hollywood ending. Cable wires hung across the opening of the stadium and at least 15 large speakers were stationed on the floor in a large oval surrounding the elevated stage.

Léon Marchand carries the Olympic flame

French swimmer Léon Marchand, wearing a black suit and tie, walks around the Olympic cauldron.

He picked up a lantern carrying the Olympic flame. At the same time, the Stade de France was roaring as Marchand was shown on the giant screens. Marchand was perhaps the most celebrated athlete at the Paris 2024 Olympics with 4 gold medals and 1 bronze medal.

Zaho de Sagazan belts ‘Sous le ciel de Paris’

The show is under way. French singer Zaho de Sagazan is singing the famous French song “Sous le ciel de Paris” in the Jardin des Tuileries, next to the Olympic cauldron, in the heart of Paris.

“The Last Supper” opening ceremony scenes were left out of a video montage

The video montage from the opening ceremony showed boats, cyclists and more. But it omitted the scenes with drag performers and others that were criticized for perceived references to “The Last Supper.”

The closing ceremony is underway

Whistles and chants of “Allez!” are the soundtrack at Stade de France, and a few sections of fans did the wave. It has been popular at this Olympics.

Video highlights of the opening ceremony are being shown on video screens, a reminder of the dazzling show on the Seine from July 26..

Macron, Bach enter Stade de France

French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Marie-Claude Macron arrived in the Stade de France as fans cheered.

They were joined by Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, IOC chief Thomas Bach, Paris 2024 President Tony Estanguet and five-time Olympic Champion Martin Fourcade, who passed on the Olympic torch to kick off the 2024 Games.

Security clears the way for performers

Security has lined the perimeter around the stage, and musicians with their instruments are walking out onto the field. A few minutes from getting this show underway.

Fans have started a slow clap with a couple of minutes before show time.

Paris “waves” goodbye

The crowd is doing the wave 10 minutes ahead of the closing ceremony.

Who’s performing at the closing ceremony?

H.E.R., the five-time Grammy winner, is expected to sing the U.S. national anthem live at the Stade de France as part of the closing ceremony.

Other performances remain a mystery. Organizers said “the participation of world-renowned singers will complete the picture,” but didn’t elaborate on who those singers could be.

They added: “Part of the show will take place in the air, while the giant sets, costumes and spectacular lighting effects will take spectators on a journey through time, both past and future.”

Sunset in Paris has been a special moment during these Olympics

The sun is setting on the Paris Olympics for the last time. By day, Paris shines. But at night, it sparkles.

And perhaps rarely so noticeably as during these past two and a half weeks.

Exhibit 1: the Eiffel Tower, of course. As the sun sets each night, the lights come on, enhancing the beauty of the iron latticework. But the “ooh” moment at beach volleyball, played in an epically photogenic stadium under the tower, would come at 10 p.m., when the music would stop and announcers would ask the crowd to turn to the Eiffel (were they looking anywhere else?) and light their phones.

Exhibit 2: The gleaming orb that seemed to float in the night sky above the Tuileries gardens – the Olympic cauldron, a 7-meter (23-feet) diameter ring of fire (not a real flame) supported by a giant air balloon.

Large crowds formed each night in the gardens and in the neighboring courtyard of the Louvre museum — also stunningly floodlit — and wait for the launch, sometimes watching groups of breakers dance.

A wave of gasps rose up from an appreciative crowd of not just tourists, but also hardened Parisians, awed by the nightly light show in their hometown.

No rain for the closing ceremony

The rain that soaked athletes and observers at the opening ceremony is a distant memory. It’s sunny and warm at 85 degrees Fahrenheit (30 Celsius). Sunset in Saint-Denis is 9:12 p.m. — 10 minutes or so into the show.

Workers are still finishing the stage at Stade de France

With less than 30 minutes left before the closing ceremony, workers are still on hands and knees finishing the stage in the middle of the stadium. The stands are roughly half full, with more than 70,000 fans expected to be in attendance.

A helicopter is circling overhead. Officials have said security is a priority as the Olympics reach the finish line.

U.S. wins women’s basketball, ties China for most gold medals

The U.S. beat host France in the women’s basketball final, the final event of the 2024 Paris Olympics, tying China for the most gold medals.

The Americans beating France 67-66 a much-tighter-than-expected game made it 40 golds and and 126 total medals. China won 91 overall, Britain 65 and France 64.

A man was seen climbing the Eiffel Tower, prompting an evacuation hours before closing ceremony

French police have evacuated the area around the Eiffel Tower after a man was seen climbing the Paris landmark hours before the Olympics closing ceremony Sunday.

The shirtless man was seen scaling the 330-meter (1,083-foot) tall tower in the afternoon. It’s unclear where he began his ascent, but he was spotted just above the Olympic rings adorning the second section of the monument, just above the first viewing deck.

Police escorted visitors away from the area around 3 p.m. Some visitors who were briefly locked on the second floor were allowed to exit around 30 minutes later.

The Eiffel Tower was a centerpiece of the opening ceremony, with Celine Dion serenading the city from one of its viewing areas. The Tower is not expected to be part of the closing ceremony, which was set to begin at Stade de France in the northern suburb of Saint-Denis at 9 p.m.

▶ Read more about the incident

Paris Olympics Memorable Moments: Simone Biles was the star but the spotlight reached many faces

All eyes were on Simone Biles as she won four medals, but the spotlight was bright enough to highlight new names, new faces and some unlikely new stars. The Paris Games will be remembered for breathtaking venues, unprecedented accessibility and Snoop Dogg taking a starring role in NBC’s record-smashing coverage.

Paris introduced the world to “The Pommel Horse Guy” and “The Real John Wick” and a meme-making performance by an Australian professor in the Olympic debut of breaking.

French swimmer Léon Marchand delivered in his home Olympics with a Michael Phelps-like performance, winning five medals, four of them gold. Ilona Maher angled for a shot on reality TV show “Love Island” after leading the United States to a heart-stopping late victory that gave the U.S. its first ever a medal, a bronze, in rugby sevens.

The United States won the medal count — 121 of them headed into Sunday’s final day of competition, 37 of them gold — and the Americans again prevailed in men’s basketball and women’s soccer.

▶ Read more about some of the top moments of the Paris Olympics.

What to expect from the Paris Olympics closing ceremony

The ceremony will feature traditional highlights, including the athletes’ parade and the handover of the Olympic flag to the organizers of the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

H.E.R., the five-time Grammy winner, is expected to sing the U.S. national anthem live at the Stade de France as part of the handover. There will be a medal presentation ceremony — for the women’s marathon from earlier in the day.

The Stade de France is more traditional setting after the Seine River was used for the audacious opening ceremony, but don’t expect it to be dull. It features the same artistic director — Thomas Jolly.

Organizers said in a recent statement that it will include “over a hundred performers, acrobats, dancers and circus artists.”

The action is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. CEST (3 p.m. EDT), and is expected to last until 11:15 p.m. CEST (5:15 p.m. EDT). It will air on NBC and the Peacock app.

▶ Read the AP’s guide to watching the closing ceremony

Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

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