Paris 2024: Festival of fun brings France’s first Paralympics to a close
Good evening and welcome to the Stade de France for the Paris 2024 Paralympics Closing Ceremony! I’m Harry De Cosemo, and I’ll be your guide through this exciting event.
What an amazing Games it has been! Paris 2024 has given us so many incredible stories, with countless records and medals. The Games wrapped up on Sunday with thrilling events like the marathon, Para canoeing, Para powerlifting, and wheelchair basketball.
We’re here to celebrate the past 10 days of action. So, get comfortable, grab a cup of tea, and join us for one last huge party! It’s going to be epic as Paris gets ready to pass the torch to LA 2028, where we’ll do it all over again in four years.
Rainy Farewell
Unfortunately, it’s raining heavily at the Stade de France right now. We hope it clears up later, but it looks like we might be in for a wet evening. Still, the rain could be a fitting end to the summer and the Paralympics.
But don’t worry, the mood is still high. The announcer has already cheered us up with: “We’ll be singing in the rain as we party in Paris.”
Selfie Time
The Phryge, the Paris 2024 mascot, has been taking selfies with athletes all around the Stade de France stage. The excitement in the stadium has been building with clapping, dancing, and chanting. The stadium is packed, and the DJ is keeping the crowd pumped up.
Let’s Get Started!
As the evening gets darker, the stadium looks even more spectacular. We’ve seen a dazzling light show featuring Santa, and even I’ve got a cool wristband. There are fireworks, and French President Emmanuel Macron is among the guests.
The French national anthem played on the trumpet gave me goosebumps. Then a band performed “Les Champs-Elysees,” a song that perfectly captures the spirit of the Games. Everyone is getting into it!
Parade of the Flags
The Parade of the Flags has begun, and the Stade de France is buzzing. It’s the perfect farewell for the 168 nations that competed in Paris.
Speeches and Announcements
Tony Estanguet, the president of Paris 2024, and Andrew Parsons, the IPC President, have both spoken to the crowd. The stadium erupted when Estanguet highlighted France’s win in blind football. Parsons praised Paris 2024 for setting a new standard for Paralympic Games and celebrated the passionate French fans and the athletes who were the true stars.
New Athletes’ Council
Four new members of the Athletes’ Council were introduced, including Italian Martina Cironi, Malta’s Vladyslava Kravchenko, Portugal’s Lenine Cunha, and Denise Schindler from Germany.
After some impressive breakdancing, the Paralympic anthem was played, and the flag handover ceremony followed, before the American national anthem.
On to LA 2028
The atmosphere is incredible! The Olympic and Paralympic music has been fantastic throughout, and the wristbands are flashing again with some amazing fireworks lighting up the night. The stadium is in full party mode!
Athletes are dancing in the rain, enjoying themselves after an incredible couple of weeks. The press tribune is even bouncing with energy!
DJ Busy P, who used to manage Daft Punk, is keeping the party going with great music. Phryge is joining in the fun, dancing with the athletes.
To top it all off, global star Martin Solveig is closing the show with a tribute to Daft Punk, playing “One More Time” surrounded by Team France athletes celebrating the night away.
Thanks and Goodbye
That’s it for the Paris 2024 Paralympics Closing Ceremony. I’ve had a fantastic time, and I hope you have too.
Merci, Paris. You were amazing.
See you in LA in 2028!
