2024 Olympics: 10 of the best images from the Closing Ceremony and final day of the Olympic Games

The athletes and setting of the Paris Olympics combined to make for some spectacular photo opportunities throughout the Games.

The Olympics came to an official close on Sunday with the Closing Ceremony at Stade de France and a handoff looking forward to the 2028 Games in Los Angeles. The moment gave Paris one last chance to shine on the Olympic stage, which it did as only Paris can do.

But before the Closing Ceremony took center stage, there was the business of earning and awarding the last medals of the 2024 Games, with a slate of events on the Olympics' final day leading up to the ceremony.

Sifan Hassan wins 6th Olympic medal

First up was the women's marathon, which crowned Netherlands' Sifan Hassan as Olympic champion. Hassan's gold was her third medal of the Games. She also in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters on the track. Hassan was a two-time gold medalist in Tokyo in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters. She also secured bronze in the 1,500 meters in 2021.

It wasn't easy, but the U.S. women secured their eighth straight Olympic gold medal in basketball with a 67-66 win over host France. USA trailed by 10 in the third quarter, then rallied late to secure its 61st consecutive win in Olympic play, a streak that dates back to the bronze medal game at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona.

USA rallies for 8th straight women's basketball gold medal

Closing Ceremony takes center stage

When the competition was done, all Olympic eyes shifted to Stade de France, where athletes opened the celebratory Closing Ceremony in the parade of nations.

An artistic performance presented the most spectacular images of the closing ceremony from a "Golden Voyager" to a grand piano and pianist hanging vertically midair.

Paris hands off to Los Angeles

Toward the ceremony's conclusion, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo took the stage alongside outgoing International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach for the handoff to the 2028 Games.

Hollywoods' most famous stunt man Tom Cruise then kicked the show back into high gear for a segment looking forward to the Los Angeles Games.