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A Fond Adieu to Paris: Memories of the 2024 Olympic Games

Written by Edda Bevilacqua

The 2024 Olympic Games were a memorable experience. The United States won a record number of medals, 126 in all, with 40 gold medals. Katie Ledecky was a star in the pool, while Nick Mead was a gold medalist in rowing. They had the honor of carrying the United States flag in the Closing Ceremonies. The host nation, France, also performed well. The star of the Games for France was Leon Marchand, who won four swimming gold medals. Several new nations won medals in Paris, including Guatemala, St. Lucia, Dominica and the Olympic Refugee Team (EOR). For the first time, the women’s marathon, rather than the men’s, closed out the two weeks of competition. The winner of the women’s marathon was Ethiopian-born Sifan Hassan, who represented the Netherlands. She won bronze medals in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters in addition to her marathon gold medal. 

At the Closing Ceremony, the athletes marched into the stadium, led by Greece and ending with the host nation, France. Then, as was customary at the Closing Ceremony, the athletes came together. A musical piece imagining a world without the Olympic Games, and their reinstatement, was performed. The Olympic rings were raising, signaling the return of the Games. Other performers at the Closing Ceremonies included Phoenix, Snoop Dogg and the Red-Hot Chili Peppers. 

Anne Hidalgo, the Mayor of Paris, handed off the Olympic flag to Karen Bass, the Mayor of Los Angeles, who will host the 2028 Olympic Games. Finally, Leon Marchand extinguished the Olympic flame to formally close the Games.