Deutsche Welle (English edition)
Tokyo Olympics close as Paris starts to prepare for 2024
After 16 days and 339 medals across 33 sports, the Tokyo Olympics were drawn to a close by IOC president Thomas Bach. With music, dancing and light shows, Bach ended what he called "Games of hope, solidarity and peace."
A near-empty stadium missing the vast majority of athletes provided a final reminder of the unusual nature of this delayed summer Olympics, as the closing ceremony unfolded on Sunday.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said more than 60 of the 206 nations and teams competing at the Games were no longer present for the ceremony, largely because coronavirus rules meant athletes had to leave no longer than 48 hours after their competition.
But International Olympic Committee ( IOC) president Thomas Bach naturally instead chose to focus on the positives of a Games which had incredible athletic moments but was overshadowed by the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
"In these difficult times you give the world the most precious of gifts: hope," Bach said to athletes in his closing speech at the Olympic Stadium.
"For the first time since the pandemic began, the entire world came together. Sport returned to centre stage. Billions of people around the globe were united by emotion, sharing moments of joy and inspiration.
"This gives us hope. This gives us faith in the future," Bach continued, speaking of "Games of hope, solidarity and peace."
His words had been preceeded by a light show, various dances from around the country and several musical performances, while Tokyo Organizing committee president Seiko Hashimoto thanked everyone involved in making the Games possible, adding that "our journey isn't finished yet"