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Fireworks light up the arena during the closing ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympic Games under the motto "Beauty in Action." Michael Kappeler/dpa
The closing ceremony of the Milan/Cortina Winter Olympics started on Sunday night, providing as final look at Italian culture and featuring the handover to the next snow and ice Games hosts, the French Alps in 2030.
The ceremony titled "Beauty in action" in the ancient Arena di Verona was to feature Italian opera with famous characters including Rigoletto and Madam Butterfly, art and imagination as well as the parade of the athletes, this time not by nation but all together.
The Olympic flame in the cauldrons in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo was to be extinguished and there will be speeches including from International Olympic Committee president Kirsty Coventry, who will also declare the February 6-22 Games closed.
The handover ceremony during the two-and-a-half hour show will see the Olympic flag handed from the Italian hosts to those in southern France.
Flagbearers for the teams include Norway's Johannes Høsflot Klæbo who rewrote the record books by sweeping all six cross country golds for a career tally of 11 golds.
While the most spread out Winter Olympics featuring 2,900 athletes from more than 90 countries competing for 116 gold medals are about to end, Milan and Cortina will welcome athletes again next month for the Paralympics March 6-15.
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Artists perform during the closing ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympic Games under the motto "Beauty in Action." Michael Kappeler/dpa
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Artists perform during the closing ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympic Games under the motto "Beauty in Action." Michael Kappeler/dpa
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