The curtain fell on a wonderful Olympic Games in Paris as Australia’s record-breaking team marched into the Stade de France in huge numbers to celebrate one last time at a well-deserved closing ceremony.

Much of the team that will bring home a record 18 gold medals – the fourth-highest haul of any nation at the Games – danced the night away as Paris handed over the hosting role to Los Angeles in 2028.

The Australian athletes were led by their flag bearers, 28-year-old multiple sailing champion Matt Wearn, who had won at the Marseille Regatta, and the group’s two-time gold medallist, the great Kaylee McKeown.

They were followed in the parade of champions by numerous other winners, including canoe slalom gold medalist and double winner Jess Fox, who was later introduced to the 80,000 spectators as one of the new members of the IOC Athletes’ Commission.

Australians were understandably in a high spirits as they danced to “Freed from Desire,” witnessing the extraordinary sight of thousands of the world’s best athletes bouncing up and down in unison to the gala hit.

There was every reason to celebrate: With 18 gold medals, the team finished fourth in the medal table, surpassing the previous 17 medals from Athens 2004 and Tokyo 2020. The haul of 53 medals was their highest at a Games outside Australia.

However, the biggest star of the early stages of the ceremony wasn’t even in the stadium.

There was great cheering when the French swimmer Leon Marchand, sensational four-time champion in Paris, was shown on the big screen in a suit and tie, receiving the Olympic flame in front of the Louvre and bringing it into the stadium.

It was later expected that the handover would focus on the glamour of Hollywood: The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Billie Eilish and Snoop Dogg would perform, and Tom Cruise is also said to be in the running.

Whatever the case, everyone agreed that it would probably be a mission impossible for Los Angeles to top this greatest of all games.