Tom Cruise Leaps from 46 Meters During Olympic Closing Ceremony
France – American actor Tom Cruise performed a 46-meter jump from a rooftop during the closing ceremony of the Olympics in Paris on the evening of August 11th, recreating the handover of the Olympic Games from Paris to Los Angeles (USA).
The 62-year-old actor, equipped with safety gear, leaped from the roof of Stade de Paris. After his jump, he met with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and American gymnast Simone Biles to receive the Olympic flag from them.
Following this, pre-recorded scenes were shown on the screen. Tom Cruise was seen riding a motorcycle through the streets of Paris, passing by the Arc de Triomphe. He then boarded a plane, saying, “I’m on my way.” The actor appeared at the Hollywood Hills (USA) and handed the flag to mountain biker Kate Courtney. Courtney then passed the flag to sprinter Michael Johnson and skateboarder Jagger Eaton.
On social media platform X, fans praised Tom Cruise’s appearance, calling it “incredible,” “cinematic,” and “classic Hollywood style.” Contrary to some reports, the star did not use a stunt double.
The official Olympic organization’s page posted a photo of Cruise with the caption, “Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to bring the Olympic flag to Los Angeles,” a nod to the famous line from the Mission: Impossible series.
In addition to Tom Cruise, many other American artists participated in the event. The Red Hot Chili Peppers performed “Can’t Stop,” Billie Eilish sang “Birds of a Feather,” Snoop Dogg rapped “The One and Only,” and H.E.R. delivered a rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
A few artists from the host country also delivered emotional performances. Yseult sang the French version of Frank Sinatra’s famous song “My Way,” while Benjamin Bernheim performed “Hymn to Apollo” on the piano.
The ceremony, lasting three and a half hours, featured various performances that showcased French culture. Compared to the opening ceremony, this event went more smoothly due to favorable weather. According to NBC, thousands of people without tickets gathered outside the stadium to watch on large screens.
The Paris 2024 Olympics marked the 33rd Summer Games, held from July 26th to August 11th. The event brought together 10,714 athletes representing 206 delegations, competing in 32 sports with 329 events. Vietnam participated with 16 athletes competing in 19 events, aiming to secure at least one medal.
On the final day of competition, the U.S. tied with China for 40 gold medals but topped the overall medal table with 17 more silver medals (44 compared to 27). They also led in bronze medals (42 to 24). This was the first time in Olympic history that two leading nations shared the same number of gold medals. Japan finished third, earning numerous medals in wrestling, judo, and gymnastics. In the last eight Olympics, the U.S. has topped the medal table seven times, with their only second-place finish occurring in Beijing 2008.
