The Paris Olympic Games has been one for the ages, with plenty of athletic feats, new sports and celebrity cameos. With the Closing Ceremony officially over, here we look back on everything you missed.
It's safe to say that the Closing Ceremony was more traditional than the history-making Opening Ceremony, which took place in an outside stadium for the first time ever.
But, that didn't mean that it wasn't still unique in its own way.
Watch: Three-time Gold Medallist Charlotte Dujardin Pulls Out Of Paris 2024 Olympics. Article continues below.
Prior to the Closing Ceremony there was a lot of chatter about which artists would perform, especially given that Lady Gaga did the Opening Ceremony alongside an incredible comeback from Celine Dion.
There were major acts involved, but we also had an Aussie star make her mark.
Just before the Ceremony began, Australia's new national hero, Rachael "Raygun" Gunn, performed her viral breakdance for the Aussie team.
Despite scoring zero and becoming an internet sensation, she remained upbeat as her fellow Olympians cheered her on and watched her show off her moves.
As for the official Ceremony, there was a lot of Hollywood talent on display.
What happened in the Paris Olympics Closing Ceremony?
First and foremost, the closing took place at the Stade de France arena. This was a departure from the Opening Ceremony, which was held along the Seine.
However, once again Thomas Jolly was responsible for the artistic direction, bringing his signature style and unique approach to the display.
Viewers experienced the usual elements, including the parade of flags and athletes, the medal component, speeches and, of course, the extinguishing of the Olympic flame.
The show transformed the Stade de France into a gigantic theatre with more than a hundred performers, acrobats, dancers and circus artists. Jolly told Associated Press the production was a very visual, very choreographic, very acrobatic show with an "operatic dimension to give a great visual fresco and say goodbye to athletes from all over the world".
The giant sets, costumes and lighting effects took spectators "on a journey through time, between the past and the future".
Because the next Games are being held in LA in 2028, the ceremony featured performances by American artists.
Was Tom Cruise really skydiving at the Closing Ceremony?
Movie star and stuntman Tom Cruise was involved in the Closing Ceremony's official handover from Paris to LA.
The Top Gun actor rappelled down into the Stade de France, grabbed the Olympic flag and made haste from the stadium on a motorbike.
Leaving the arena, the show cut to prerecorded footage of Cruise cruising through the streets of Paris and then hopping on a plane to California.
From there, Cruise sky dived onto the Hollywood sign. Where he installed three more O's onto the Hollywood sign, turning the existing two O's into the symbol of the Olympic rings.
There were a stack of celebrities at the closing ceremony that eagle-eyed viewers might have spotted in the crowd, including John Legend, Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban, Kelly Clarkson, Cynthia Erivo, and the one and only Flava Flav.
Who performed?
French band Phoenix performed their cult hit Lisztomania on the closing ceremony stage before the Americans took over the show.
"We've tried to champion French talents from the start even if we had international stars; each time it was promoting a French artist nevertheless," Thomas Jolly told Variety. "We always have in mind to turn the spotlight on our country, of course."
American artist H.E.R. opened with a stunning rendition of the American national anthem, before Tom Cruise's sky diving moment brought the livestream to LA.
The performance then kicked off with the Red Hot Chilli Peppers singing their song By the Way on a stage set up in Long Beach. Next to them on a lifeguard tower, Billie Eilish performed her song 'Birds of a Feather', alongside her brother and fellow musician Finneas.
Of course, we had some rock classics and young pop, so we had to get Olympic super fan Snoop Dogg up on stage next, performing 'Drop It Like It's Hot' and Still D.R.E. alongside Dr. Dre himself.
The American stars didn’t make it to Paris; instead, they performed with the LA coastline as their backdrop.
"This is the biggest moment in LA28 history to date, as the Olympic flag passes from Paris to LA,” said LA28 Chairperson Casey Wasserman.
"We are thrilled to feature the very best of LA with local artists and are grateful to Billie, H.E.R., the Chili Peppers and Snoop for their collaboration on what will be an incredible show to a global audience that will give fans a taste of what’s to come in 2028."
In the lead-up to the ceremony, there was much speculation about whether Beyoncé, who has supported US athletes throughout the Games, or Taylor Swift might make surprise appearances. However, these were just rumours, as neither performed.
When to watch?
For Australian viewers, the celebration kicked off on Monday, August 12, at 4am AEST, 2AM AWST and 3.30am ACST.
You can watch it on demand on Stan Sport or Channel Nine.
Watch the Olympics on Stan Sport, the only place to watch every event ad-free with 4K and international multi-language channels. Go to Stan.com.au/Olympics for more info.
Feature Image: Getty.
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