Despite no-one wanting Paris 2024 to come to an end, the Closing Ceremony of the Paralympic Games will bring the curtain down on 12 days of intense sporting activity in France’s capital, on Sunday 8 September, starting at 20:30 local time.
After nearly two weeks of competition and jaw-dropping feats of athleticism, the medal table tells a story of grit: So far, throughout the Paralympics’ 549 medal events, China tops the table in terms of gold medals (71) and total medals (163). After Great Britain (82 total, 35 golds), Team USA athletes have brought home 77 medals in all, including 27 golds.
According to Thomas Jolly, the Artistic Director responsible for the opening and closing ceremonies for this year’s Olympiad. the final act of the Paralympics in Paris is designed to be a giant dance party, with 24 DJs performing thumping techno and dance music at the Stade de France – in celebration of the 4,400 athletes from 168 Paralympic delegations.
The first-ever Paralympic Games to be hosted in France’s capital has been a triumph, with ample iconic moments. British archer Jodie Grinham became the first athlete ever to win a Paralympic medal while pregnant; Taekwondo practitioner Zakia Khudadadi won a first-ever Paralympic medal for the Refugee Paralympic Team; while American Matt Stutzman, also fondly known as the “armless archer”, won gold 12 years after earning his sole Paralympic medal (silver) at London 2012.
The Closing Ceremony will see the extinguishing of the Olympic cauldron as well as the passing on of the Paralympic baton to Los Angeles 2028, the next hosts of the Summer Paralympic Games in four years’ time. The LA 2028 delegation will receive the Paralympic flag from Team Paris 2024.
The Handover Ceremony will feature Team USA Paralympians and Los Angeles residents Samantha Bosco, Ezra Frech and Jamal Hill.
All three are Paralympic medalists, with Bosco and Frech taking gold in the women’s time trial C4 road cycling event and the men’s 100m T63 and high jump T3 competitions. Hill, who finished fifth in the men’s 50m freestyle S9 swimming event at Paris 2024, took bronze in the event at Tokyo 2020.
Following the passing of the Paralympic flag, Tony Award–winning actress and Broadway star, Ali Stroker, will sing the U.S. national anthem at the Stade de France.
Subsequently, at Venice Beach in Los Angeles, musical performances will be staged featuring jazz pianist Matthew Whitaker; violinist and singer-songwriter Gaelynn Lea; rapper, songwriter and athlete Garnett Silver-Hall; and performing artist Anderson .Paak.
After the handoff, adaptive skateboarders Oscar Loreto Jr., Kanya Sesser and wheelchair motocross athlete Aaron “Wheelz” Fotheringham will show off their skills during .Paak’s performance, accompanied by actress Lauren Ridloff.
The Paris Olympiad has been widely hailed as a triumph of organisation and design, with the French capital adopting a new model of holding much of the sport in temporary stadia at the heart of the historic city.
- Numeris MĂ©dia is officially accredited media to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games