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The final event of the 2024 Paris Olympics concluded on Sunday, 11 August with USA defeating hosts France 67-66 in a thrilling women’s basketball final at the Bercy Arena.
Paris Olympics: News, schedule, medals tally and more
The victory allowed the US to take home a 40th gold medal, as many as recent Olympic rivals China though the Americans finished on top of the table for the fourth consecutive time and for the seventh time in the last eight editions by virtue of winning more silver medals (44) as well as more medals overall (126).
India, meanwhile, finished the Olympics with a total of six medals, as many as they had managed in the 2012 London Games though they can win another silver and match their best-ever tally in Tokyo three years ago if Vinesh Phogat wins her appeal filed before the ad-hoc panel of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) specially set up in Paris for the Olympics.
The event will conclude with a grand closing ceremony and unlike the unique opening ceremony, which took place along River Seine as well as in other iconic locations such as the Trocadero Palace and the Eiffel Tower, this one’s going to take place at a more traditional venue — the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, Paris, the main Olympic Stadium.
Shooter Manu Bhaker and hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh will serve as the flag-bearers for the Indian contingent in the closing ceremony. Shuttler PV Sindhu and veteran paddler Achanta Sharath Kamal had served as the flag-bearers for the ‘Parade of Nations’ in the Opening Ceremony that took place along the Seine.
Some of the top performers in the Paris Olympics including swimmers Leon Marchand of France and Katie Ledecky of the US will serve as flag-bearers for their respective nations.
Thomas Jolly, who had directed the unique Opening Ceremony that took place on 26 July, is also in charge of the Closing Ceremony. Parts of the Opening Ceremony had angered the Christian community particularly one act that was seen as a modern-take on ‘The Last Supper’, but with drag queens.
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