France waves farewell to its sporting summer at Paralympic closing ceremony

September 8, 2024 Canuck

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 colours of the French national flag, a trumpet player played the national anthem “La Marseillaise” and Paralympic flag-bearers 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.”

Paralympic medallists Nicholas Bennett and Brianna Hennessy carried the Canadian flag during Sunday’s closing ceremony.

Bennett, a swimmer, won Canada’s first gold medal in Paris — one of three total medals he’s headed home with, also including another gold and a silver.

The 20-year-old from Parksville, B.C., who has an intellectual impairment, became the first Canadian male swimmer to win multiple golds at one Games since 2004.

Hennessy, a Para canoeist, took silver in her first race on Saturday and can reach the podium again in her final event on Sunday.

The 39-year-old from Ottawa only took up her sport during the pandemic. After failing to reach the podium at Tokyo 2020, she’ll return home from Paris with her first Paralympic hardware.

With a final tally of 29 total medals won (10 gold, 9 silver, 10 bronze), Canada matched its impressive performance at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio.

WATCH | Bennett, Hennessy carry flag:

Canadian flag-bearers Bennett, Hennessy make their entrance at Paris 2024 closing ceremony

2 hours ago

0:58

Paralympic medallists Nicholas Bennett and Brianna Hennessy of Canada go across the main stage at the 2024 Paris Paralympics closing ceremony.

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.

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 Etienne de Crecy, 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.

WATCH | Canadian flag-bearers discuss honour:

Bennett, Hennessy reflect on being named Canada’s flag-bearers

3 hours ago

Duration 1:30

Paralympic medallists Nicholas Bennett and Brianna Hennessy of Canada talk to CBC Sports’ Benoît Huot before the start of the 2024 Paris Paralympics closing ceremony.

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.

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.

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

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

WATCH l CBC Sports host Scott Russell bids farewell:

Scott Russell emotional as he signs off for the final time

18 minutes ago

1:16

CBC Sports’ award-winning host Scott Russell signs off for the final time after nearly 40 years with the corporation.

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 swaths 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 ca change, as the French saying goes.

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