Tokyo Olympics LIVE Closing ceremony a final curtain as Australia celebrates success

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They’re called the Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra. A bit of saxophone, keys, bongos etc. It’s good. A Cat Empire vibe.

There’s people juggling, others dancing and the athletes all around.

There’s also people skipping rope.

It’s meant to represent one of Tokyo’s urban parks. To bring the athletes a bit closer to enjoying everyday life in Tokyo, because they haven’t been allowed to do that thanks to the pandemic.

I didn’t see in ska bands in parks when I was in Tokyo in 2019. But the parks and gardens were cool.

Performer performs during the Closing Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.Credit:Getty Images

This looks cool. As described by the closing ceremony organisers:

“As a symbol of individual passion, dedication, hopes and dreams, many points of light are emitted by each athlete on the field. Together, these lights rise to form a luminous waveâ€"
representing the Olympic spirit that lives within us all.”

Because I am not there I can’t work it out if it was done just for tv. Thousands of little lights flew around the stadium and then formed high in the sky in the shape of the Olympic rings.

Thanks to Seven’s Hamish McLachlan, we know there are 85 Australian athletes at the ceremony. About 40 of which are from the athletics, given that program was later in the games. The rest had to leave Japan within 48 hours of finishing their events.

We’re on the look-out to for a photo of our flag bearer Mathew Belcher, the man who has won gold in sailing at the last two Olympics.

Everyone is pretty much just hanging out in the stadium at the moment, dancing or standing around while music plays. All in masks of course.

There is a blow up boxing kangaroo there too with the Australians, naturally.

Members of Team Australia during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.Credit:Getty Images

A view as the flag bearers of the competing nations enter the stadium.Credit:Getty Images

The Japan and Olympic flags fly as country flags are carried in during the closing ceremony.Credit:AP

Members of Team Belarus during the Closing Ceremony.Credit:Getty Images

A man unfurls a French flag at the Olympics fan zone at Trocadero Gardens in front of the Eiffel Tower.Credit:AP

And the athletes are entering the closing ceremony.

Unlike the opening ceremony, they walk in together, led by host nation Japan and the home of the Olympics, Greece.

Australia’s flag bearer tonight is dual gold medal winning sailor Mathew Belcher.

There’s a big green rectangle in the middle of the stadium. Inside that looks to be a grey circle, with a stage inside of that.

Athletes enter the stadium for the closing ceremony. Credit:Getty Images

Japanese national flag is carried into the stadium during the Closing Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.Credit:Getty Images

More flagbearers enter the closing ceremony. Credit:Getty Images

There’s a video playing and it is showing highlights from these Tokyo games.

Next, fireworks burst from the top of Tokyo’s Olympic stadium to kick off the closing ceremony, the point of which is, according to notes from ceremony organisers:

“[The] chapter in which we express our gratitude for the countless individuals who lent us their strength and helped us make it to the closing ceremony.”

The lights go up, and the famous flag of Japan is carried into the stadium.

The Olympic Flame is seen before the Closing Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium.Credit:Getty Images

Fireworks are seen during the Closing Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.Credit:Getty Images

And this is the view inside Tokyo’s Olympic stadium, just minutes from the start of the closing ceremony:

The evening sky illuminates the field in the Olympic Stadium prior to the start of the closing ceremony .Credit:AP

So after a couple of weeks, 17 Australian gold medals and a lot of great sport that made lockdown easier, the Tokyo games are about to officially end.

The closing ceremony begins in about 45 minutes.

There’s a few things that always happen at the closing ceremony. There’s the handover to the next Olympics host - in this case Paris - and the athletes enter the stadium (like the opening ceremony not all will be there because of social distancing).

Entertainment is usually a factor too - who could forget John Paul Young singing Love Is In The Air at Sydney 2000’s closing ceremony - and of course many dignitaries will have their say.

What’s happening right now in Tokyo? Well, like there has been at times these games, there are more anti-Olympics protests:

Anti-Olympic protestors are blocked by police officers in front of the National Stadium where the closing ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics is set to start.Credit:AP

It’s been a pleasure helping bring you the action over the past 16 days. Thanks to all those who have followed along and joined the conversation. So for the final time for these Games, here’s Anthony Colangelo to take you through the closing ceremony.

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