The good, the bad and the ugly of the Paris Olympics

After more than two weeks showcasing a series of extraordinary sporting feats, Paris brought the curtain down on the 2024 Olympics with a star-studded closing ceremony at the Stade de France last night. Billie Eilish, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Snoop Dog were just some of those to feature across the evening. Tom Cruise, star of the Mission Impossible series, abseiled down from the roof of the stadium to mark the close of the Games and signify the hand-over from France to the state of California, home to Hollywood. It was both dramatic and silly, a fitting end to one of the most memorable Games ever. Paris 2024 had it all, proving that nothing beats the thrills, tensions and sheer spectacle of live sport. There were also controversies aplenty.

The lavish opening ceremony attracted criticism for a banquet scene where an actor playing the Greek god Dionysus was the central figure on a table surrounded by drag queens.