The Olympic rings waited under the pouring rain in Trocadéro Plaza in Paris for most of the day, as the Eiffel Tower loomed above them with its top lost in the fog.
Then night came, two French officials unveiled the bright new glossy emblem that had been covered by white fabric, and the Eiffel Tower twinkled.
Paris, which had suffered three defeated Olympic bids in the past 25 years, including one against London for the 2012 Games, scored a victory on Wednesday.
“ENFIN” (“Finally”), as L’Equipe, France’s main daily sports newspaper, put it on its front page, the French capital had been officially awarded the 2024 Summer Olympics, and the political and sports worlds breathed a sigh of relief.