‘Space Olympics’ concludes at ISS as astronauts host closing ceremony; watch video here

In an incredible video, two astronauts residing in the International Space Station (ISS) are seen performing their own version of the Olympic Games, even hosting a small closing ceremony for it.

Avec Aki on a pris un peu d’avance sur la #ClosingCeremony en attendant le vrai passage de relais #Tokyo2020 -> #Paris2024 sur dans quelques heures

With the @Tokyo2020 @Olympics ending today and the next #Olympics to be @Paris2024, @Aki_Hoshide and I held a ceremony pic.twitter.com/7dpYBr4Xwu

— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) August 8, 2021

Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide and French astronaut Thomas Pesquet hosted the ‘Space Olympics’ at the ISS recently. Videos shared by Pesquet show astronauts at the ISS competing in games such as synchronised floating, weightless sharpshooting, and ‘no-handball’ in zero gravity.

The astronauts were divided into two teams for the games. The clips show a funny and relaxed side to the participants, with the players laughing and joking around. The ‘no-handball’ game featured the players trying to place the ping-pong ball into the hatch without using their hands. The weightless sharpshooting game required pure luck on part of the astronauts to reach their target.

Space #Olympics 2/4:
No-handball – we had to adapt the rules a bit during the match, much investment on both sides for the win.

Handball sans les mains – les règles ont dû être adaptées au cours d’un match que nous décrirons sobrement comme intense. pic.twitter.com/dVOv3GRThD

— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) August 6, 2021

The duo also held a closing ceremony at the ISS to mark the end of the Tokyo Olympics and generate excitement for the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics. The video shows Hoshide handing over a flag with the Olympic rings on it to Pesquet. The two then unfurl a larger flag and turn it over to show the words “Paris 2024” written on it. Pesquet and Hoshide then float up, leaving the flag in the frame.

Since being shared on Twitter, the video has gained over 1.7 million views and 25,000 likes. Social media users were appreciative of the clip, with many calling it awesome and heartfelt. Some even labelled it the perfect closing ceremony.

Pesquet was earlier in the news for performing the French national anthem on a saxophone from the ISS during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics.