The curtain fell on the Paris Olympics late on Sunday (July 11) night local time, with a dazzling closing ceremony ending two weeks of heart-pounding sports action.
The event was a celebration of unity, culture, and athletic prowess, with a touch of Hollywood glamour thrown in for good measure.
Australia’s athletes were proudly led by flag bearers Kaylee McKeown and Matt Wearn. The party kicked off with a surprise performance by sensation Raygun, who had the Aussie team grooving to his beats.
The Stade de France was transformed into a global stage for the athletes’ parade, cultural performances, and a surprise appearance by none other than Tom Cruise. As the ceremony progressed, the focus shifted to a live music performance on the beach in LA, setting the stage for the 2028 Games.
Where is New Zealand: Mishap or deliberate?
However, the most talked-about moment came from an unexpected source: the stage itself. Designed to represent a map of the world, it left many viewers scratching their heads when they noticed a glaring omission – New Zealand was nowhere to be found. The oversight didn’t stop at the Kiwis; other island nations like Madagascar, Indonesia, and the Philippines were also missing from the stage map.
The Paris Olympics organizers described the stage as a “symbolic planisphere,” but that explanation did little to quell the amusement and frustration on social media. Kiwis, in particular, had a field day, with some joking about their apparent erasure from the global stage.
Despite the map mishap, New Zealand’s athletes shone brightly, securing ten gold medals and finishing 11th on the medal tally – their best Olympic result yet. Australia finished fourth, with the USA and China tied on golds but the USA clinching the top spot with more overall medals.
The weekend saw a flurry of thrilling victories, including Lydia Ko’s triumph in women’s golf, Lisa Carrington’s gold in canoe sprint, and Hamish Kerr’s gold in the men’s high jump. Carrington’s three golds in Paris brought her total to eight, cementing her status as the greatest of all time (GOAT) of canoe sprint. Finn Butcher made history by winning the inaugural kayak cross gold, and Ellesse Andrews clinched the women’s sprint on the final day.
New Zealand’s performance was nothing short of remarkable, with commentators noting that the Kiwis punched well above their weight. Stats guru Bryden Coverdale highlighted the per capita medal tally, where New Zealand’s 10 golds equated to roughly one for every half a million people, outpacing Australia’s 18 golds for every 1.5 million.
Paris Olympics conclude
The closing ceremony also featured a special moment with seven athletes, including Australia’s Emma McKeon, representing the five continents and the Olympic rings,
As the Paris Olympics came to a close, the stage was set for Los Angeles in 2028, but the conversation about New Zealand’s missing representation on the world map will likely continue.