The pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympic Games are coming to an end Sunday with a smaller, more subdued closing ceremony than in years’ past, much like the opening ceremony 17 days ago.
Click on the video player above to watch live coverage of the closing ceremony of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The event began at 7 a.m. ET, and can also be watched on Olympic Games Morning.
You can also watch streams with described video and American Sign Language, in the links below.
Damian Warner is Canada’s flag-bearer at Olympic Stadium in Tokyo as the Games draw to a close after more than two weeks of competition. As is custom for the closing ceremony, Warner and each country’s flag-bearer marched in together first, and then the athletes walked in through the stadium’s four entrances.
“For me it’s like a dream come true,” Canadian soccer star Christine Sinclair said before marching into the stadium when asked what it was like to attend a closing ceremony as an Olympic gold medallist. She and her team beat Sweden in a penalty shootout to win gold.
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With many athletes already back home in their respective countries — pandemic protocol required them to leave Tokyo within 48 hours of the end of their competitions — and a ban on spectators, the typically jubilant affair will be a brisk two hours. It will culminate in the Olympic flag being handed off to the host of the 2024 Games: Paris.
The theme of the closing ceremony is “Worlds We Share,” which reflects the fact that each of us inhabits our own separate world that we then share with those around us, much like athletes from around the globe coming together to share the Olympic Games.
And they did so amid the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the city of Tokyo itself under a state of emergency amid record case numbers. Despite a few-dozen personnel, including athletes, having tested positive for the coronavirus, the Games managed to conclude safely without a major outbreak that shuttered a venue or cancelled an event.
The closing ceremony opened with a video montage of highlights from the 17 days of competition and a short but brilliant fireworks display, all meant as a symbol of gratitude to those who made the Games a success, from volunteers to athletes.
Japan’s Crown Prince Akishino then entered the stadium with International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach, before the Japanese flag was carried in.
After the athletes marched in, the lights in the stadium went dark and the Olympic rings took shape from beads of light beaming throughout the stadium, representing the athletes in attendance and those who could not be there in person.
The brilliant light show was a departure from the opening ceremony, when the Olympic rings were displayed as a sculpture made of wood from trees that grew from seeds brought to the 1964 Tokyo Games by athletes from around the world.
After more fireworks, in a segment called “All Tokyoites,” swathes of grass filled the stadium floor to create a park-like space for athletes to enjoy on a Sunday.
Musicians, cyclists and breakdancers converged on the makeshift park to simulate the experience of being in an urban outdoor space.
While many athletes wore masks and were asked to observe physical distancing, they were given the opportunity to mingle in a way that they weren’t allowed to during the Games. Though they could gather at the athletes’ village, they were not allowed to leave the village to sight-see in the city. During the Games, some members of the Australian team were disciplined for leaving the village to buy alcohol.
Once the Tokyo park party ended, the Greek flag was raised as the anthem was played, as is custom to pay tribute to the birthplace of the Games. As is also custom, medals were then presented.
While different sports can be chosen for the closing ceremony medal presentation, it is generally the marathon for the Summer Games. For the first time, both men’s and women’s marathoners were presented with their medals Sunday, in keeping with these Games’ stated goals of greater inclusivity and gender equity.
WATCH | CBC Sports explains: The Olympic flame:
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Do you know the history of the Olympic Flame? Did you know the Olympic Torch originated at the 1936 Berlin Games? Watch episode one of CBC Sports Explains, where we take you through the flame’s history, from the ancient Olympics to how it became the iconic symbol it is today. 4:50
