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Paris celebrates 2024 Olympics award

Giant Olympic rings have been unveiled in front of Paris's Eiffel Tower as the city celebrates its successful bid to host the 2024 Olympic Games. Organisers gave the official announcement an emotional welcome on Wednesday, as did officials in Los Angeles, which has been awarded the 2028 games.

French sports stars at Paris's Place du Trocadéro
French sports stars at Paris's Place du Trocadéro RFI/Pierre René-Worms
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"It's a magical, unique victory," Paris bid co-leader Tony Estanguet told reporters. "I'm feeling an emotion I have felt only rarely in my life."

Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo wanted to spread the love to Los Angeles, which agreed to step aside in the 2024 race in exchange for a package of financial sweeteners, and the International Olympics Committee (IOC).

An acrobat at the ceremony to cekebrate Paris's success
An acrobat at the ceremony to cekebrate Paris's success RFI/Pierre René-Worms

"We are three winners, two great cities," Hidalgo said. "Today with Tony and all our team we are very proud and happy. It's such a special emotion today -- 100 years after, the Games come back to Paris. When Paris wins, France wins."

The official announcement was made at an IOC meeting in the Peruvian capital, Lima. It marks an historic first whereby two cities were crowned on the same day.

The 2024 Games will mark the third time Paris has staged the Olympics.

France had made three unsuccessful bids - in 1992, 2008 and 2012.

Speaking from the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe shortly after the decision was made, French President Emmanuel Macron hailed it as a "victory for France".

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