Olympics, Why Is The Last Medal Ceremony Part Of The Closing Ceremony?

[ToraToraTora]

No doubt some sort of tradition but google doesn't help. Anyone know about it?

[jourdain2]

Probably to remind people of what it has all been about.

[Cloverjo]

I would guess because everyone has left the competition venue after the final game, and the organisers wanted the medalists to have an audience. 
 

[Hazlinny]

I found this on google .....

For the first time, the women's marathon concluded the Olympics. The medals for that event were unprecedentedly presented at the closing ceremony as a commemoration of the the first ever full parity Olympic Games.

[perseverer]

Traditionally the Men's Marathon has been the last event with the medals presented during the closing ceremony. 
Incidentally full parity means there were the same number of places allocated to male and female athletes. (Please, no comments about the boxing!)

[Old_Geezer]

Glad someone explained that. I may have thought it was equal numbers of blond(e)s, brunettes, blackhairs, and gingers. Or maybe all eye colours had been checked and equalised.

Who comes up with these daft descriptions ?