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Xtra Time Web Desk: In a rousing conclusion to the Paris 2024 Olympics, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach hailed the Games as "sensational" during the official closing ceremony held at the Stade de France. After more than two weeks of intense competition and extraordinary athletic feats, the curtain fell on an event that Bach proclaimed as the dawn of a "new era" for the Olympic movement.

Addressing a captivated audience, Bach declared, "The Olympic Games Paris 2024 were a celebration of athletes and sport at its finest. These were the first Olympic Games fully aligned with our Olympic Agenda reforms: younger, more urban, more inclusive, and more sustainable. It was also the first Games with full gender parity. These were sensational Olympic Games from start to finish—or dare I say, 'Seine-sational' Olympic Games from start to finish."

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Bach's speech resonated with admiration for the athletes who pushed the boundaries of human potential, not only in their performances but also in the unity and camaraderie they displayed throughout the Games. "Your performances were nothing short of extraordinary," he praised. "You competed fiercely, with every contest pushing the limits of perfection and igniting excitement across the globe. You demonstrated the greatness that humanity is capable of achieving."

A particularly poignant part of Bach's speech was his recognition of the "culture of peace" fostered by the athletes within the Olympic Village, where competitors from countries divided by war and conflict lived together harmoniously. "You created a culture of peace. This inspired all of us, as well as billions around the globe. Thank you for making us dream and for making us believe in a better world for everyone," Bach said, acknowledging the symbolic power of the Games in promoting global unity.

While acknowledging that the Olympic Games cannot directly create peace, Bach emphasized their role in inspiring a global culture of peace. "This is why I call on everyone who shares this Olympic spirit: let us live this culture of peace every single day," he urged.

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The closing ceremony itself was a spectacle befitting the grandeur of the occasion. It began with a stirring orchestral performance, followed by the entrance of flag bearers and athletes. The ceremony offered a tribute to the origins of the Olympic Games and culminated in the symbolic handover of the baton to Los Angeles, the host city for the next Summer Games. In an unforgettable moment, Hollywood star Tom Cruise escorted the Olympic flag out of the stadium on a motorbike, with a video showing the flag's journey to Los Angeles, accompanied by performances from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Billie Eilish, and Snoop Dogg.

As the Paris 2024 Olympics drew to a close, Bach expressed his deep gratitude to France for hosting what he described as a truly groundbreaking edition of the Games. The legacy of Paris 2024, with its emphasis on inclusivity, sustainability, and peace, will undoubtedly resonate long after the Olympic flame has been extinguished.