Held amid the unrelenting COVID-19 pandemic, the 32nd Olympic Games began drawing to an end on Sunday with a closing ceremony that sought to give the message of moving forward.
The ceremony opened with a video that looked back on the 17 days of events and competition.
Fireworks went off at the stadium to mark the beginning of the final chapter in which the organisers "expressed gratitude for the countless individuals who lent us their strength and helped us make it to the Closing Ceremony."
This was followed by Japan's Crown Prince Akishino and the International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach's appearance in the official stand.
The focus of the opening video was not records and scores but the valiant efforts of all the athletes, who competed in a strictly enforced bio-bubble, undergoing daily COVID-19 tests.
The salient message of the ceremony was that the Games will open the door to a brighter future.
India certainly could look towards that brighter future after claiming its best-ever haul of seven medals, including their first gold medal in 13 years, from javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, who is also going back as the country's first track-and-field medallist at the Games The country's haul also had two silver and four bronze medals.
The 32nd Olympic Games began drawing to an end in Tokyo, Japan on Sunday with a closing ceremony. | Photo: Twitter/@Tokyo2020hi
The 32nd Olympic Games began drawing to an end in Tokyo, Japan on Sunday with a closing ceremony. | Photo: Twitter/@Tokyo2020hi
Fireworks go off around the Olympic Stadium during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, as seen from outside the venue in Tokyo, Japan on August 8, 2021. | Photo: Twitter/@Tokyo2020hi
The closing ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics 2020 take place at the National Stadium, in Tokyo, Japan on Sunday. | ANI Photo
A general view shows the Olympic cauldron and the Olympic flame during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, on August 8, 2021 at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo, Japan. | Photo by Behrouz Mehri / AFP
Athletes carrying nations' flags arrive with their national flag during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, at the Olympic Stadium, in Tokyo, Japan, on August 8, 2021. | Photo by Pedro Pardo / AFP
Iran's Amir Hossein Zare (L) and India's Bajrang Bajrang carry their national flags during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, at the Olympic Stadium, in Tokyo, Japan, on August 8, 2021. | Photo by Adek Berry / AFP
Athletes gather next to the Olympic Cauldron during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, at the Olympic Stadium, in Tokyo, Japan, on August 8, 2021. | Photo by Tauseef Mustafa / AFP
Fireworks go off around the Olympic Stadium during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, as seen from outside the venue in Tokyo, Japan, on August 8, 2021. | Photo by Kazuhiro Nogi / AFP
Fireworks go off over the Olympic stadium during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, on August 8, 2021 at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo, Japan. | Photo by Behrouz Mehri / AFP
Performers dance during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, on August 8, 2021 at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo, Japan. | Photo by Behrouz Mehri / AFP
A view shows the Olympic Cauldron and the Olympic flame during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, on August 8, 2021 at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo, Japan. | Photo by Behrouz Mehri / AFP
Gold medalist Neeraj Chopra holds the Indian flag at the Olympics Stadium during the closing ceremony of the Summer Olympics 2020, in Tokyo, Japan, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. | PTI Photo/Gurinder Osan
With inputs from PTI.
