In just a few moments, the Olympic Games will officially return to London for the third time, setting an unmatched record for hosting the Games that spans more than a century. Thank you, London, for welcoming the world to this diverse, vibrant, cosmopolitan city yet again.

    It has taken a lot of hard work by many people to get us to this point. I want to thank the entire team at the London Organizing Committee - superbly led by Lord Coe - for their excellent and hard work. I also want to thank all the public authorities who have helped ensure that these Games will leave a lasting positive legacy long after the closing ceremony.