Discuss closing ceremony of the ancient Olympic games?
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Answer:
Like the opening ceremony, the closing ceremony begins with the authorities presentation followed by the raising of the host country's flag and a performance of its national anthem.[34] Then the host country presents an artistic program similar to the opening ceremony though usually it is shorter than the opening. Then after the flame is extinguished, there would be a party for the athletes featuring some of the host country's music culture and is common to see local musical scene big names performing.
The traditional part of the closing ceremony starts with the "Parade of Flags",[34] where flag bearers from each participating country enter the stadium in single file, with the Greek flag in the lead and the host nation's flag bringing up the rear. Behind them march all of the athletes without any distinction or grouping by nationality. This "Parade of Athletes,"[34] the blending of all the athletes, is a tradition that began during the 1956 Summer Olympics at the suggestion of Melbourne schoolboy John Ian Wing, who thought it would be a way of bringing the athletes of the world together as "one nation." Prior to the 1956 Games, no Olympic Team had ever marched in the closing ceremony of the Modern or the Ancient Games. It was the very first International Peace March ever to be staged.[35]
After all the athletes enter the stadium, the final medals ceremony of the Games is held. The organizing committee of the respective host city, after consulting with the IOC, determines which event will have its medals presented.[34] During the Summer Olympics, this is usually the men's marathon and starting in 2020 games, the woman's event medals was presented.[34] Traditionally, the men's marathon is held in the last day of competition on the last day of the Olympics, and the race is finished some hours before the start of the closing ceremony. However, recent Summer Olympiads in Atlanta, Beijing, Rio and Tokyo (although 2020's marathons were held in Sapporo, 500 miles away) staged the men's marathon in the early morning hours due the climate conditions in the host city. Since the 2006 Winter Olympics, the medals for the men's 50 km cross-country skiing event and starting on 2014 the woman's 30 km cross-country skiing event were presented at the closing ceremony. The medallists national flags are then hoisted and the national anthem of the gold medallist's country is played.