Key events
Many of the Paralympians are already inside the stadium, but many more are now arriving in the official parade, serenaded by the strains of Chariots of Fire and other French and international tunes.
After a montage to end all montages on the big screen that gets-in-yer-head Paris 2024 jingle returns as a backdrop to events in the stadium tonight. Emmanuel Macron is joined on stage by the President of the International Paralympic committee, Andrew Parsons.
Some boos for Macron there, as he awkwardly waved to the crowd. Interesting. Now a lone trumpeter will play La Marseillaise.
That big fiery Parisian cauldron is coming down for the final time. The flame will be carried to the Stade de France later tonight, as LA takes up the mantle for four years’ time.
We’re under way
The closing ceremony, titled ‘Paris is a party’ has officially started.
Perhaps it’s rather apt, given how the Olympics opening ceremony was drenched in rain, that the summer in Paris finishes in similar fashion, weather-wise. Santa, the French singer not the Christmas man, steps out to get us going with a song.
On a complete sidenote, does Clare Balding ever have a day off? Her work rate is astonishing.
A couple of lovely emails have just dropped:
Kurt Perleberg says: “To everybody at The Guardian & The Observer, from writers & columnists & photographers in Paris to editors in London & live bloggers around the world & to all of the readers in the USA the UK & Australia & across to world who have been reading these live blogs since July 21st, thank you for bringing the magic of the Olympic & Paralympic Games Paris 2024 home to us wherever it may be.”
Pierre Margerie says: “On a saturday morning train yesterday from Toulouse to Paris, we were joined by part of the Danish shooting team at the Chateauroux station. As the announcement was made that we had on board a bronze medalist all the passengers (or at least the majority, it was noisy) cheered. Could not have imagined something similar in my usually grumpy France a month ago, and grateful for that.”
Thanks both!
Merci, Paris.
Nothing happens quickly in these ceremonies, but we’re edging towards something of note actually occurring. It’s teeming with rain and the waterproofs are out in force.
Matt Bush and Poppy Maskill are interviewed on Channel4 ahead of their flag-bearing duties tonight:
“It’s a massive honour to be a flag-bearer,” says Bush, the taekwondo gold medallist. “The whole system has been awesome, ParalympicsGB have been great and the French have put on a crazy show here.”
Swimmer Maskill is asked about being the most decorated GB athlete of these Games – with five medals (three gold, two silver). “It’s pretty cool,” she says. And on bearing that flag: “It’s pretty amazing”. Finally … what is she most excited about this evening? Pizza.
She’s a cool customer.
Just to point you in the direction of some other sport we’re covering this evening. The Test match has just concluded with Sri Lanka in line for a victory against the odds, while it’s a tall order for Scotland who travel to Portugal in the Nations League tonight. Oh, and there’s the small matter of the men’s US Open final. Who needs the Premier League, eh.
Stage set, calm before storm, insert relevant cliche. (The stadium is a lot fuller now).
Just to let you know that things will get under way from 7pm (BST) and Matt Bush (taekwondo) and Poppy Maskill (swimming) have been named as the ParalympicsGB flagbearers for the closing ceremony. A very proud moment for them and their families.
Here’s a reminder of exactly how the final medal table looks/looked. Nearly 100 golds for China is astonishing. They rule the roost when it comes to the Paralympics.
Some stunning images, here. Check our gallery from the 11th and final day of the Paris Paralympics.
Favourite moment of these Games? Dame Sarah Storey’s incredible sprint finish, at the age of 46, to claim a 19th Paralympic gold, gets the award for me. Other options are available.
“We should be able to see everyone for who they are and not for who we think they are.” – Birgit Skarstein sums it up perfectly as the @Paralympics come to an end. 🔥
What were your favourite moments from Paris 2024? Let us know ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/xP7Yy6nCYr
— Rising Phoenix (@risingphxglobal) September 8, 2024
How about this, then? A fine performance from the Great Britain team; more golds and more total medals than they earned in Tokyo.
Preamble
Hello, good evening and welcome to this live blog, as the curtain comes down on a thoroughly entertaining Paralympic Games. After 12 days in Tokyo three years ago, the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games have taken place over 11 densely-packed days, meaning we were never short of action. The crowds have been strong in Paris, the viewing figures (in the UK, anyway) have been very healthy indeed and the Paras continue to go from strength to strength.
Tonight will be all about handing over the baton to Los Angeles as they take their turn as hosts in 2028: whether we get Snoop Dogg, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Tom Cruise et al like we did for the Olympics closing ceremony last month remains to be seen. I’m sure we’ll get plenty of sparkle, glitz and glamour, plus the usual pomp and circumstance which is de rigueur with these ceremonies.
The closing ceremony will begin at 7pm BST, so do stay tuned. And feel free to drop me an email with your general thoughts on the past 11 days. For now, though, enjoy the Guardian’s main editorial on the Paris Paralympic Games as a whole.
