INTERNATIONAL: In Paris, thousands waved flags and cheered in front of the Eiffel Tower on Sunday as the Olympic baton was symbolically handed to the French capital from Tokyo. Paris Mayor, Anne Hidalgo, took over Olympic duties in the closing ceremony, which was broadcast live in the French capital's fan zone.

Pop music blared out as French Olympians Teddy Riner and Clarisse Agbegnenou danced on stage. Plans to fly a giant Olympic flag from the Eiffel Tower were cancelled because of strong winds, but that did nothing to stop the party.

France is promising a 2024 Summer Olympics "for the people" after the pandemic-hit Tokyo games. There was little sign of that on Sunday though, with public entry to the fan zone permitted only upon presentation of a vaccine certificate or negative test result, but hopes are certainly high that the Olympic Games in 2024 will look, feel and sound a lot different than they did in Tokyo in 2021.