Olympic flame extinguished, marking end of Tokyo Games

TOKYO, Japan — The Olympic flame has been extinguished, officially marking the end of a pandemic-delayed and heavily restricted Tokyo Games after an exhausting, enlightening and sometimes enraging run.

The closing ceremony was held in a Covid-emptied stadium, though athletes were still able to gather on the field.

The baton has now been passed to Paris, which will host the Games in 2024.

The Tokyo Games presented logistical and medical obstacles like no other. They offered up serious conversations about mental health. And when it came to sport, they delivered both triumphs and a few surprising shortfalls.

These Olympics will be forever remembered as the Games where the athletes found their voice. Tokyo marked a turning point when mental health became as important as physical health, and tales of perseverance often overshadowed actual performance.

These Olympics were willed into existence despite a pandemic that sparked worldwide skepticism and hard-wired opposition from Tokyo’s own citizens, and now might go down as the Games that changed sports for good.