By Steve Keating
TORONTO, July 26 (Reuters) - A city that had been largely
indifferent to the Pan American Games arrival did not want the
party to end on Sunday, as Toronto bid a dazzling goodbye to the
largest multi-sport event ever staged in Canada.
The mood was lifted by the prospects of an even bigger party
in 2024 with Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) president Marcel
Aubut earlier in the day officially kicking off a campaign to
convince city officials to bid for the Summer Olympics.
"It is time to make it crystal clear. I am officially
declaring that I will use the full power of my office to
lead and advocate for Toronto's candidacy to hold the 2024
Olympic Games," Aubut said during the Pan Am Games closing press
conference. "This is it."
For 16 days Toronto had a taste of the Olympic experience
and ate it up with gusto, filling stadiums and arenas eager to
be part of the Pan Am excitement.
More than one million tickets were sold as Canadian athletes
gave locals plenty of reason to come out to cheer.
The United States, as they have at every Pan Am Games since
1955, finished at the top of medals table with 103 gold and 265
overall but this was Canada's moment to shine, finishing second
with a record 78 gold and 217 total medals.
Before the party moved into high gear there were a few
housekeeping chores to get through including the lowering of
Olympic and Pan Am flags and the handover to Lima, Peru, which
will host the next Pan Am Games in 2019.
"All of us that were here can agree that Toronto and Ontario
can be very proud with the way you hosted these amazing Games
and you have every right to imagine and to dream of one day
hosting the Olympic Games," said Ivar Sisniega, vice-president
of the Pan American Sports Organisation (PASO), to a roar of
cheers in the packed stadium.
"I now declare the 17th Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games officially
closed and invite the youth of the Americas to convene in four
years in Lima, Peru."
After 16 days of tension packed competition the athletes
from 41 countries were also ready to let loose, mixing together
in a kaleidoscope of colours as they danced their way into the
domed stadium to a thumping rock beat.
It was a closing ceremony that featured more pyrotechnics
than protocol and after the moving extinguishing of the Pan Am
cauldron the stadium was transformed into a massive house party
until headliner Kanye West took the stage.
The American Grammy winning hip hop artist, who triggered
one of the Games few controversies when he was chosen over a
prominent Canadian act, looked to be a wrong choice.
Athletes streamed towards the exits during his set and the
rapper was booed off the stage, throwing his microphone into the
air after it appeared to go dead.
There were far bigger fireworks still to come, however, as
the Toronto night sky was lit up with a spectacular light show
bringing the curtain down on the extravaganza.
(Editing by Larry Fine)