A colorful fireworks display at the stadium ended off the night, after a grueling 17 days, with Rio de Janeiro casting aside early struggles with empty venues, security scares and a mysterious green diving pool to throw a huge Carnival-like party.

Brazilians came to the closing ceremony happy, many wearing the canary yellow jersey of the nation's sports teams, having won two late gold medals in their two favorite sports, men's soccer and volleyball.

“It was marvelous this ceremony. It was everything that the 2016 Games represent. We deliver these Games in an excellent way and us volunteers are very proud,” said one volunteer who had been at the ceremony with fellow Olympic volunteers.

“It was lovely, it was emotional. I came with my Mum. I am very proud to be Brazilian and especially a Carioca; it was beautiful,” local woman Natasha told Reuters TV.

The city handed over the Olympic flag to Tokyo, site of the 2020 Summer Games, and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe appeared in the stadium dressed as popular video game character Mario, tunneling from Tokyo to Rio.

Bach declared the Rio Games closed and expressed hope that they had left a lasting mark on the metropolitan area of 12 million people.

In a final symbolic act, the Olympic flame that had burned since August 5 was then extinguished in a downpour of artificial rain.

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