Thousands of French citizens converged on a square in Paris to celebrate the handover of the Olympic flag during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics.
About 6,000 people attended the live viewing event near the Eiffel Tower on Sunday to raise enthusiasm toward the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics.
They gave a round of applause when judoka Teddy Riner and other French athletes who won medals at the Tokyo Olympics were introduced.
Loud cheers also erupted as Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo was shown on screen accepting the handover of the Olympic flag.
One spectator at the event in the French capital said Japanese people may have been let down by the Olympics having been held without spectators, but it is good that the athletes’ dreams could be fulfilled.
He said Parisians have been waiting to host the Olympics for the first time in 100 years, and that he expects the Games to be beautiful and impressive like never before.
A woman said France will benefit greatly from the Paris Games if the coronavirus pandemic subsides enough to allow athletes, spectators and everyone else to participate in the events.
Organizers of the Paris Games plan to curtail costs by making use of existing facilities as competition venues, including popular tourist spots, such as the Eiffel Tower and the Palace of Versailles, so that people of the world can learn more about the city’s allure.
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