Paris: Paris prepared to bid a triumphant "au revoir" to the Olympics on Sunday as the curtain came down on its widely praised staging of the global sporting spectacular. A star-studded closing ceremony got under way in front of around 71,500 spectators at the Stade de France to crown an event that has been broadly acclaimed as one of the greatest editions of the Olympics ever held. Around 270 artists and performers were scheduled to perform in the packed arena with an estimated 9,000 athletes expected to march into the venue.
The opening segment of the ceremony festivities began with France's swimming hero Leon Marchand -- winner of four gold medals at these Games -- gathering the Olympic flame from the cauldron in the centre of Paris to begin its journey to the Stade de France. The glittering closing spectacle marks the beginning of the four-year countdown to the Los Angeles Olympics, with Hollywood star Tom Cruise expected to feature in a segment previewing the 2028 Games in California. The ceremony is the final act of 17 days of frequently breathtaking sporting action set against the backdrop of iconic Parisian landmarks from the Eiffel Tower to the Chateau de Versailles.
In contrast to the rain-soaked opening ceremony on the River Seine, the opening ceremony began as the sun set across the French capital. The last day of sporting action saw the United States pip China for top spot in the battle for medals after the US women's basketball team squeezed past France 67-66 to.