Paris Olympics comes to a close in grand, memorable style

Transcript

00:00After an extraordinary two and a half weeks of splendid and spectacular athletic performances on the world stage,

00:06the City of Lights and Love rang down the curtains on the 2024 Summer Games,

00:11whose everlasting theme of Sitius Altis Fortis, meaning faster, higher and stronger,

00:17perfectly sums up the Olympic theme of competition,

00:20where private dreams of victory and glory meshes seamlessly with public ritual and entertainment.

00:26Indeed, it was a sight to behold,

00:28as the audience watched behind the suspended Olympic rings logo,

00:32which represents the five inhabited continents of the world,

00:36and soaked in the boom and bang of fireworks and St. Defrance and St. Denis.

00:40Likewise, the silhouetted images have a huge billboard and muted gratitude in spectators,

00:45seconding the message by clapping.

00:48Of artists and acrobats in white for a dense number on stage,

00:52and IOC President Thomas Bach with a group of select athletes flashing the manual heart symbol.

00:58And the audience and athletes slapping fives in the final parade,

01:02while a rapt audience watched outside the stadium and couples celebrated each other dancing.

01:08And the athletes filed into the stadium to wave goodbye and wish each other well

01:13with the next Summer Games in the City of Angels in sight,

01:16and an endless stream of memorable moments of men and women in their finest hours.