Paralympics closing ceremony features tributes to Stephen Hawking
Last Updated: 18/03/18 6:39pm
The Pyeongchang Winter Paralympics closed on Sunday with a dazzling ceremony featuring light shows, dancing and music, plus tributes to the late British physicist Stephen Hawking.
Nine days of sporting action ended earlier in the day with a flurry of events, including victory for the United States in a hard-fought sledge hockey final, helping them to top the medals table with 36 overall.
Menna Fitzpatrick and guide Jen Kehoe won Great Britain's first gold in Pyeongchang, in the women's visually-impaired slalom.
The duo finished the Games with a gold, two silvers and a bronze, and were given the honour of leading the Great Britain team in for the closing ceremony.
The British team managed to reach their UK Sport target of seven medals at the Games in total.
With thousands packing out the Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium for Sunday's ceremony, International Paralympic Committee president Andrew Parsons used his closing address to pay tribute to the Hawking, who died last week aged 76.
Parsons hailed Hawking, who opened the London 2012 Games, as "a genius of a man, a pioneer and inspiration to us all".
"While Hawking tested the limits of his imagination, Paralympians, you have once again pushed the boundaries of human endeavour," Parsons added.
"Your logic-defying performances have focused the world not on what holds you back, but on what motivates you and pushes you forward."
Sunday's closing ceremony included traditional Korean music and dancing, and also modern rock and pop, with K-pop star Ailee among the performers.
Towards the end of the ceremony, the Paralympic flag was hauled down and handed to the mayor of Beijing, which will host the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics.
