As It Happened: Closing ceremony concludes Paris 2024 Olympics with Tom Cruise, Snoop Dogg, Dr Dre, Billie Eilish

Well, wasn’t that just a spectacular couple of weeks.

We couldn’t put it any better (nor would we try) than our colleague Jordan Baker already did in her sign-off from Stade de France – but it’s been an absolute pleasure, and we sincerely thank you for your company.

It’s not only been one of the most enjoyable Games of the modern era but Australia’s most successful: the team won 18 gold medals, its best-ever haul.

The venues, too, were stunning. But you already knew that.

The beach volleyball was held at Eiffel Tower Stadium.Credit: Getty

And tonight (sorry, morning, time difference) was the right way to go out: athletes enjoying themselves, fantastic French pop music, some golden dude leading a spiritual (we think?) dance, Snoop Dogg on a beach and no Papa Smurf.

It was also a proud night for all Australian athletes, particularly the closing ceremony flagbearers Kaylee McKeown and Matt Wearn, Jessica Fox (who’s become a member of the IOC’s Athletes’ Commission) and Emma McKeon, who represented Oceania as part of a delegation of medal winners from every continent.

He didn’t just Drop It Like It’s Hot, it WAS hot on that beach (we think).Credit:

Thanks again for reading our coverage, we hope you enjoyed it (and excused the constant moaning about the coffee in Paris, which is... I can’t do this again).

We’re off to get a cab, which hopefully reaches us faster than it took for Leon Marchand to travel between the Louvre and Stade de France.

See you in La La Land!

That was a magnificent, stirring performance of My Way from French singer Yseult. Fireworks exploded across the roof of the stadium. Lights sparkled throughout. It was an emotional end to a spectacular closing ceremony.

And that’s the end for us, too. On behalf of the on-the-ground reporters in Paris, bonsoir and au revoir, it’s been a joy and a privilege to have brought these extraordinary Games to you.

Bonsoir and au revoir. Thanks for joining us.Credit: AP

Never mind Tom Cruise traversing the Atlantic in a matter of SECONDS, now we’re in Los Angeles.

And look, I think the 2028 Games are going to be a lot of fun (putting my hand up early here, boss).

Here’s a quick recap of what we’ve seen in the LA portion of the closing ceremony.

• Red Hot Chili Peppers with By The Way;
• Billie Eilish with song-of-the-summer contender Birds of a Feather;
• Snoop Dogg with Drop It Like It’s Hot (where’s Martha Stewart?);
• Snoop Dogg with the one and only Dr Dre (you know who’s mobbin’ with the D-R-E?) teaming up for The Next Episode (the clean version... that infamous final line was nowhere to be heard).

Oh. Now we’re back in Paris.

Looks like Leon Marchand finally made it to the stadium with his little lantern (to be fair, even a champion has to contend with the traffic, and it’s confusing here in Paris because the taxi lights are ON when they have a passenger, and OFF when they’re free?!?).

In the LA portion of the closing ceremony we had Billie Eilish ...Credit: Nine

… the Red Hot Chili Peppers ...Credit: Nine

… and Tom Cruise. among others.Credit: Nine

If there’s two foreign anthems that make hairs stand on end they’re La Marseillaise and the Star Spangled Banner.

That performance by H.E.R. was electrifying. Los Angeles could never match Paris in beauty, but it will make up for it in star power.

And just as I type that HERE HE IS.

Tom Cruise just leapt from the roof. He’s high-fiving athletes. Then he got on a motorbike and drove through the crowd. It’s Mission Impossible meets Top Gun.

He flies.Credit: AP

He bikes.Credit: nna\Smarsh

In breaking news, Raygun is at the closing ceremony. (See what we did there?)

Australia’s competitor in the breaking competition may not have received any points from the judges with her performance at the Olympics, but she’s sure won everyone’s hearts.

The 36-year-old left for the closing ceremony in Paris tonight on the shoulders of Australian rower Angus Widdicombe, as others formed a guard of honour around her and cheered. She even performed her signature kangaroo move, and was filmed dancing in the middle of a crowd. Good for you Raygun.

It turns out even Adele is a big fan of our new national hero. She stopped in the middle of her Munich concert overnight to tell the audience it was all she and all her friends had been talking about.

“I think it’s the best thing that’s happened at the Olympics the entire time,” she told the audience.

HE’S HERE, FOLKS.

Tom Cruise, part-time Hollywood actor and full-time Team USA superfan (he cheered on Simone Biles and the USWNT with some force), has indeed made an entrance at Stade de France.

It’s the LA 2028 part of the program now, and who better than Mr Hollywood himself to rappel off the roof in a brown leather jacket and grab the Olympic flag and attach it to the back of a motorbike.

Tim Cruise rappels into Stade de France for the closing ceremony.Credit: Eddie Jim

You’re probably aware, because like me you’ve watched it at least seven times, that large parts of Fallout were filmed in Paris. So this seems familiar.

Now he’s riding through the streets in a sequence we’re supposed to believe was not pre-filmed.

This is all happening so quickly. He’s now in the back of a military aircraft. Skydiving. The Red Hot Chili Peppers are playing.

This is more American than Kid Rock at a Donald Trump rally and it’s... sort of working?

His name is Tony Estanguet (and he’s the Paris 2024 President).

Don’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about.

Tony Estanguet.Credit: AP

IOC President Thomas Bach’s speech went on a bit long. His Seine-Sational Games crack elicited a collective groan. He doesn’t have the charisma of Juan Antonio Samaranch and he certainly didn’t share Samaranch’s habit of declaring which was the best Games.

But the President of Paris 2024, Tony Estanguet, gave the kind of speech only a handsome Frenchman could get away with when he described the emotions evoked by the Games as “heart racing, head spinning, screaming, crying, crazy love!”

The Olympic anthem that only gets an airing once every four years followed. The athletes are getting bored. We need some more razzle-dazzle.

Thomas Bach, left, and Tony Estanguet.Credit: AP

Australia’s most successful ever Olympian, the swimming legend Emma McKeon, has joined officials on stage as part of a special delegation of athletes from every continent.

McKeon is representing Oceania. Sun Yingsha (table tennis) represents Asia, Eliud Kipchoge (athletics) represents Africa, Mijain Lopez (wrestling) represents the Americas and France’s own Teddy Riner (judo) represents Europe.

Emma McKeon, representing Oceania on stage.Credit: AP

We’ve reached the speeches part of the evening, with Paris 2024 president Tony Estanguet (former athlete, certifiably handsome) and IOC boss Thomas Bach saying thankyou and farewell before handing over the keys to LA for 2028 (Tom Cruise alert? Please? Something?)

First Jess Fox was on stage, now Emma. What a special moment she’ll never forget.

The lingering athletes on the stage are interrupting a light show – the stadium and stage are supposed to be flashing blue and red, but you can’t see it well, because there’s a crowd around the stage. They’re slowly ushering them down. There’s only a few dozen left.