Olympics 2024 closing ceremony: India hauls six medals with no gold

Summary: India took home one silver and five bronze medals at the end of the Paris Olympics. India’s medal tally placed it 71st among the 89 nations.

India fans were left with a mix of feelings. One silver and five bronze medals is a sad return for a country of 1.4 billion people. It is hard to believe that the nation with the largest population in the world was unable to produce a single gold medal.

We were unable to surpass our seven-medal total from Tokyo in 2020 (one gold, two silver, and four bronze), but we still performed far better than we had in Rio 2016, with only two medals.

The outcome fell short of expectations, particularly in badminton, boxing, and archery, where medals were anticipated. There is, however, a glimmer of hope because six athletes finished in fourth place. Besides, India lost a gold or silver medal after Vinesh Phogat's disqualification.

However, Paris handed over hosting duties for the Summer Games to Los Angeles in 2028 after two and a half incredible weeks of Olympic sports and emotion concluded with a wild, star-studded spectacle at France's national stadium.

The magnificent fireworks, an artistic display honoring Olympic themes, and thousands of athletes celebrating late into the night marked the end of Paris's first Games in a century.

During a highlight video from the Games, crowds of athletes rushed the stage in excitement, and stadium speakers in both French and English implored them to double back. Before volunteers and security evacuated the stage, several of them lingered, encircling the Grammy-winning French pop-rock group Phoenix while they performed.

Hollywood actor Tom Cruise climbed down from the stadium's roof to the theme song from "Mission Impossible," shook hands with athletes, and then took the Olympic flag from gymnast Simone Biles, mounted it on the back of a motorcycle, and left the stadium.