Paris 2024 Paralympics Day 11: Games wrap up with final events and closing ceremony
Paris 2024 officially came to an end at Stade de France.
The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games wrapped up on Sunday, with the final few events and another spectacular ceremony at Stade de France.
Before putting a bow on the Games, though, Canadians had three more shots at the podium on the final day of competition.
Canadians in action on Sunday
Brianna Hennessy, one of Canada’s closing ceremony flag bearers, raced in the semifinals of the women’s single 200m KL1 event, advancing to the medal race but just missing out on the podium with a fourth-place finish. Mathieu St-Pierre reached the final of the men’s single 200m VL2 event, where he finished sixth.
The women’s wheelchair basketball team played in the bronze medal game of their competition, but came up just short of the podium with a 65-43 defeat to China.
With those results, Canada finished Paris 2024 with 29 medals — ten gold, nine silver, and ten bronze. To read about every event featuring Team Canada athletes at Paris 2024, click here.
Closing ceremony brings games to a close
It was an incredible two weeks of sports in Paris, but unfortunately all good things must come to an end. The closing ceremony at Stade de France was another epic celebration of sport in Paris — something we have become accustomed to over the past two months — and the rain couldn’t dampen anyone’s spirits.
French singer Santa got the party started, before a lone trumpeter played La Marseillaise, the French national anthem.
Following that, a band marched into the stadium playing the tune from Chariots of Fire among other popular French and international songs. As the band played the flag bearers from each delegation carried their national colours into Stade de France — including Canada’s Brianna Hennessy and Nicholas Bennett.
The party continued with more music and dancing.
Tony Estanguet, a three-time Olympic champion and the president of the Paris 2024 organizing committee, delivered the last of his dramatic and emotional speeches — thanking the athletes for a summer of incredible memories across the Olympics and Paralympics. He also thanked the fans for showing up in incredible numbers to support the Games, the volunteers for what they do to make the Games run smoothly, and everyone behind-the-scenes who made these Games happen over the past few years.
Andrew Parsons, the president of the International Paralympic Committee, was up next — echoing many of Estanguet’s sentiments. He said that “Paris 2024 has set a benchmark for all future Paralympic Games” and that he believes the lives of people living with disabilities in France will improve as a result of the legacies of the Games.
Then, to the disappointment of the fans in the stadium, around the world, and Parsons himself, he declared the Games officially closed.
“Tonight, nobody wants these Games to end, but we can make this moment one to remember for the rest of our lives.” — Tony Estanguet
After six new members of the IPC’s Athletes’ Council were unveiled to the crowd, a performance followed featuring several breakdancers, some of whom had disabilities.
Then it was time for the handover of the Paralympic flag, from the mayor of Paris to Parsons, to the mayor of Los Angeles — who will host the Games in four years' time for what will surely be another unforgettable sporting experience. The American national anthem was then performed by singer Ali Stroker, before a montage of American athletes building hype for the next Games in four years, and a musical performance from Anderson .Paak.
The Paralympic flame was then brought onto the stage by some of France’s Paris 2024 Paralympians, who helped to extinguish it in an emotional moment.
Paris 2024 was always going to go out with a bang, and the party truly started in the French capital. Led by Jean-Michel Jarre, a spectacle featuring dozens of French DJs wowed the crowd, each performing songs that showcased the electronic music scene in the country. Many French athletes joined the DJs on the stage to dance and party in front of their home crowd.
The farewell to the Paralympics was also a farewell to a sports broadcasting legend in this country — the one and only Scott Russell of CBC Sports. After 40 years with CBC and well over a dozen Olympic and Paralympic Games, the closing ceremony was his final broadcast before retiring. He delivered a tearful goodbye before a montage of the best Team Canada moments from Paris 2024.
And with that, the Paralympics were over. Merci, Paris.
What’s next?
The road to the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, and Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, starts now.
Stay tuned for more wrap up coverage of the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics, in addition to all the usual Canadian sports content here — including the True North Podcast.
Thanks for reading and supporting the coverage here at True North. It certainly won’t stop any time soon.
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What a truly spectacular Olympics/Paralympics the world was treated to. Paris definitely knocked it out of the park, in one of the most phenomenal spectacles in history. Cheers all for the numerous great moments. Mr. Russell, it has been a distinct pleasure. Enjoy your golden years sir. We will dearly miss you my friend.