Tony Estanguet, President of Paris 2024, also took to the stage to share his reflections on the Games, expressing his pride in how the city and the world came together to create an unforgettable experience.
“On the first day of the Paris 2024 adventure, we had been preparing for everything but we could not prepare for that – everything we just lived together,” Estanguet said, recalling the emotions and memories that the Games had generated.
He painted a vivid picture of the Games, from athletes traveling along the Seine to the iconic moment when Celine Dion sang from the Eiffel Tower as the Olympic Cauldron was lit. When the athletes travelled along the Seine, Celine Dion sang from the Eiffel Tower and the Olympic Cauldron was lit, a wave rolled out that carried the whole world in its wake.
Estanguet celebrated the spirit of competition that defined the Paris Games, where athletes and spectators alike were united in their passion for sport. “Our competition venues will remain in the history of the games. We wanted fervor and excitement, we got passion. We wanted to dream, we had Leon Marchand.”
He also shared whimsical memories of the Games, including a whale taking part in the surfing finals in Haiti. “Together we lived the games as never seen before, a whale even took part in the surfing finals in Haiti. From one day to the next, time stopped and a whole country vibrated. France rediscovered itself. From one day to the next, the whole of France became Olympic.”
In closing, Estanguet expressed his gratitude to the millions of spectators who made the Games so special. “All that was possible because of you all, who met up – the millions of spectators.”
