Farewell to Rio, see you in Tokyo in 2020 The closing ceremony held at the Maracanà stadium marked the end of the XXXI edition of the Summer Olympic Games with a colourful party inspired by Carnival rhythms and costumes, following the "saudade" traditions with fireworks and samba dance schools. Rio then handed the torch over to the next edition of the Games, which will be held in 4 years' time in Japan.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe introduced himself on a stage in the middle of the field wearing a SuperMario hat, the popular Japanese video game character; the formal handover took place when the Olympic flag was lowered and given to the Governor of Tokyo, Yuriko Koike. A tropical storm began right before the ceremony, with strong winds and pouring rain which continued through the first half of the show: despite the warnings, the weather did not deter spectators nor the final parade team, including Daniele Lupo - historic silver medallist in beach volleyball alongside Paolo Nicolai - the Italian flag-bearer. During the ceremony, the gold medal was awarded to Kipchoge of Kenya, winner of the marathon, the symbolic event of Olympics.