The colorful ceremony lasted almost three hours.
The highlights included human formations of iconic Rio landmarks Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf Mountain.
The Olympic flame was extinguished by a rain shower, which then gave life to a large tree sculpture to symbolize rebirth.
The ceremony featured the symbolic handover of the Olympic flag. Rio mayor Eduardo Paes returned it to IOC President Thomas Bach, before it was passed to Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike.
IOC President Thomas Bach officially closed the Games of the 31st Olympiad after 16 days of competition, featuring 11,303 athletes from 206 nations and a refugee team.
One of the biggest cheers of the night came when Japan’s PM Shinzo Abe appeared dressed as computer game character Super Mario, rising out of a huge green pipe in the stadium.
The closing ceremony, watched by billions around the world, featured the parade of athletes and concluded with a confetti and firework show.
Three Indian nationals have been arrested and charged over the killing of Sikh separatist leader…
President Joe Biden has urged pro-Palestinian protesters on university campuses to uphold the rule of…
Blue Ivy Carter has joined the voice cast of The Lion King prequel Mufasa: The…
At least five people, including a four-month-old baby, have been killed after dozens of tornadoes…
Harvey Weinstein has been hospitalized just days after his 2020 rape conviction in New York…
Hamas has published a video showing the first proof of life of US and Israeli…