France waves farewell to its sporting summer at the Paralympics closing ceremony

SAINT-DENIS, France (AP) — This time, it really is au revoir.

A summer sporting bonanza which started under pouring rain on July 26 with a remarkable opening ceremony for the Paris Olympics on the Seine River ended Sunday with the Paralympics closing ceremony at a rain-soaked Stade de France.

It lowers the curtain on successful back-to-back Games that captivated fans and raised the bar high for others to follow. Good luck Los Angeles in 2028.

As the stadium was lit up in the blue, white and red colors of the French national flag, a trumpet player played the national anthem “La Marseillaise” and Paralympic flagbearers then made their way into the stadium carrying national flags to the sound of “Chariots of Fire” by Vangelis.

“Everyone can see what an inclusive world is like,” Tony Estanguet, the head of the Paris Olympics in 2024, said in his closing speech. “Now there is no turning back.”

The International Paralympic Committee president Andrew Parsons said France excelled itself as a host in both Games.

“Paris 2024 has set a benchmark for all future Paralympic Games,” Parsons said. “For a country famous for its fashion and its food, France is now famous for its fans.”

The crowd clapped along to a breakdancing set, before Tony Award winner Ali Stroker performed the American national anthem as a part of the handoff to Los Angeles.

Stroker made history in 2019 as the first person who uses a wheelchair to win a Tony Award for her turn as Ado Annie in the Broadway revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Oklahoma!” In another portion of the screened handoff to LA, Venice Beach Skate Park transformed into a 360-degree stage featuring skateboarders and wheelchair motocross riders.

Then, the crowd roared as famed French electronic music composer Jean-Michel Jarre began closing out the ceremony, which was again led by artistic director Thomas Jolly.

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The 76-year-old Jarre span tunes as in a Parisian nightclub, oblivious to the rain lashing down on him.

Jolly wanted to turn the stadium into a giant open-air dance party. More than 20 DJs, including Étienne de Crécy, Martin Solveig and Kavinsky, followed the trailblazer Jarre in a tribute to French electro music to the theme “Journey of the Wave.”

Or the wave goodbye from the 64,000 fans, and the city itself, to the more than 4,000 Paralympic athletes.

Summer vibes kept going

After the successful Olympics showcased the vibrancy of fans from around the world and the beauty of the city’s iconic venues, there were doubts that the energy would keep going into the Aug. 28-Sept. 8 Paralympics.

Those doubts were dispelled, with athletes enjoying strong support. Not all venues were sold out, but this was also because the summer holiday period was ending and children were returning to school.

A surge of enthusiasm saw 2.4 million tickets of the 2.8 million tickets sold — second only to the 2.7 million sold at the 2012 London Games — and this was some feat considering that by late June only 1 million had been sold.

Large swathes of Parisians vacated — some say fled — the city amid concerns over traffic chaos, political upheaval, social tensions and growing fears over security.

But locals who stayed or French fans coming in from other towns and cities gave their athletes huge support over both Games.

“With the Games we rediscovered our creativity,” said Estanguet, a former Olympic canoeing champion. “The France which smiles, which loves itself.”

French success on and off the track

In the Olympics, France tallied 16 golds among its 64 medals to finish fifth overall in the medal count, and it won 75 medals overall in the Paralympics.

The Games themselves were a success for French President Emmanuel Macron. Transport ran well, there were very few organizational glitches and security issues were appeased, with police even engaging in friendly banter or posing for photos with fans — a rarity in France.

For how long the feel-good factor stays remains to be seen.

An early indication came on Saturday, when thousands took to the streets to protests the president’s appointment of a conservative new prime minister.

There were some boos for Macron when he was introduced at the start of the ceremony.

Plus ça change, as the French saying goes.

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Associated Press Writer Kaitlyn Huamani in Los Angeles contributed.

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AP Paralympics: https://apnews.com/hub/paralympic-games