Bookending two weeks of fierce sporting rivalry at the 2024 Paris Olympics were two contrasting ceremonies:

an offbeat opener panned for a tableau composed of drag artists evoking Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper,” and a more conventional closing bash, whose subtle Gallic creativity was overshadowed by a Hollywood-inspired, in-your-face handover segment featuring a flying Tom Cruise and a handful of musical icons (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Bille Ellish, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dog) performing (lipsynching?) on the Long Beach shoreline. (Los Angeles hosts the 2028 games.)

As expected, the United States and China, the world’s sporting superpowers, battled for the top spot in the medal table. Both countries finished with 40 gold medals, with China achieving its best-ever total since the 2008 Beijing Games. However, the United States won more overall medals, 126 to China’s 91.

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