The Olympic flag is raised in Los Angeles, the 2028 Games host city

The Olympic flag is raised in Los Angeles, the 2028 Games host city
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The Olympic flag touched down in Los Angeles on Monday. It will fly there when the city hosts the 2028 Summer Olympics.

The flag, which had “LA28” and palm palms emblazoned on its side, was carried by American athletes and officials as it arrived on a Delta Airlines aircraft. As the plane descended to a stop, the iconic hip-hop song “California Love” by Tupac Shakur blasted over loudspeakers on the tarmac at Los Angeles International Airport.

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After boarding the aircraft wearing a red Team USA tracksuit, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass raised the Olympic flag, grinned widely, and descended the stairs to meet California Governor Gavin Newsom. The mayor was accompanied by skateboarder Tate Carew, Olympic diver Delaney Schnell, and others.

Speaking at the airport, Bass expressed her feelings of “tremendous pride and responsibility” upon receiving the Olympic Flag on Sunday in Paris. The mayor stated that although Los Angeles has been working hard to host a fantastic Games, American organizers suddenly felt they “need to put our foot on the gas.”

Los Angeles was granted the honor of hosting the 2028 Summer Olympics by the International Olympic Committee in 2017. After serving as the host city in 1932 and 1984, Los Angeles will be hosting the Games for the third time in modern history.

Bass agreed that LA’s homelessness issue would be difficult to solve and that Paris had set a high standard for their hosting of the Olympics. She told Reuters in Paris, “We do have Hollywood, so I expect a lot of magical opportunities.” However, the City of Angels has one exceptional asset that no other place can match.

During Sunday’s closing ceremony, Olympic authorities in Paris gave the American counterparts the flag. Hollywood flare was added to Paris by actor Tom Cruise, who gave a flag reception by rappelling from the top of France’s national stadium.

As Cruise rode off on a motorcycle after the Paris closing ceremony, the action cut to a pre-recorded film showing the 62-year-old skydiving down to the Hollywood sign, where a broad view saw the Olympic rings integrated into the famous Los Angeles landmark.

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