The Paris Olympics came to a close in the French
capital with a star-studded closing ceremony at Estate de France.
Manu Bhakar and PR Srijesh were the flag bearers in
the parade of nations that featured athletes from 206 contingents.
The most successful athlete at the Paris Games,
French swimmer Leon Martian, carried the Olympic flame from cauldron
to the stadium for the closing ceremony.
Actor Tom Cruise descended from the roof of Saint de
France to collect the Olympic flag as part of the
handover to the American city of Los Angeles in his
closing speech International. Committee president Thomas Bach reflected on a
sensational game and Olympics.
Meanwhile, Netherlands Stefan Hassan scripted history by clinching the womens''s
marathon gold in an Olympic record time and this victory
added to her bronze medals from the women's 5000m and
10,000 meter events. The race had been impossible to call
with all the favourites among the leading back up until
the last 10 kilometers.
Then the Dutch woman deployed her famous late cake strategy
and Hassan managed to shake off this ASIFA.
Of Ethiopia in the final stretch to cross the finish
line in an Olympic record time of two hours,
22 minutes 55 seconds.