France says goodbye to Paris Olympics 2024

France reluctantly bid farewell on Monday to an "enchanted" two weeks of Olympic sports as athletes departed from Paris, praising the spectacular Games that have reinvigorated the global event.

The closing ceremony on Sunday night featured Hollywood star Tom Cruise, who added some stardust to the proceedings and a connection to the next Olympics in Los Angeles. Cruise descended into the national stadium on a wire, grabbed the Olympic flag, and thrilled the crowd as he rode away on a motorbike, entertaining the 71,500 spectators and the thousands of athletes present.

The conclusion of the Paris Olympics brought relief that an event shadowed by concerns over potential terror attacks, strikes, or protests had proceeded smoothly. However, there was also a sense of sadness as the joyous celebration of sports came to an end.

France's largest sports newspaper, L'Equipe, captured the mood with a front-page headline urging the nation to "Keep the flame alive," featuring new swimming hero Leon Marchand and encouraging the French to preserve the spirit of the "enchanted fortnight."

At the Athletes' Village in northern Paris, tired athletes were packing up after a late night, while the city's airports prepared for a surge of travelers and sports gear.

Many of the temporary sports venues set up among Paris's landmarks will be used for the upcoming Paralympics, which begin on August 28, with tickets still available.

During the closing ceremony, which emphasized the Olympics' core message of peace, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach praised the Paris Games as "sport at its best," calling them "sensational from start to finish." Bach also playfully referred to the Games as "Seine-sational," a nod to the river running through Paris that played a prominent role during the event.

Paris 2024 was seen as crucial for the Olympics' reputation, following the Covid-impacted Tokyo Games and the corruption issues surrounding the 2016 Rio Games. The French media highlighted how the Games lifted the national mood, which had been weighed down by political turmoil and pessimism.

Paris 2024 organizing chief Tony Estanguet noted that the Games transformed a nation known for its complaints into "unbridled supporters" who didn't want the celebrations to end. President Emmanuel Macron, who is currently navigating a political crisis following snap elections, said the Olympics showcased "the true face of France" to the world.

Le Monde reflected on how the Games brought joy and excitement to the country, following a period dominated by political strife and social tensions. The Times' sports writer, Owen Slot, remarked on how Paris made the Olympics "more beautiful than ever before."

The closing ceremony also marked the start of the four-year countdown to the Los Angeles 2028 Games, with American gymnastics icon Simone Biles and LA Mayor Karen Bass participating in the formal handover of the Olympic flag.

The Paris Olympics were filled with dramatic sporting moments, highlighted by performances from Biles, American sprinter Noah Lyles, Pakistan's javelin star Arshad Nadeem, and Turkish shooter Yusuf Dikec, who became an internet sensation. The Games also saw controversy over a gender dispute involving two female boxers, Algeria's Imane Khelif and Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting, who both went on to win gold.

On the final day of competition, the United States narrowly overtook China to claim the top spot in the medal standings, with the US women's basketball team securing the last gold of the Games by edging past France 67-66. The USA finished the Games with a total of 126 medals, while China secured second place with 91.