Sochi Paralympics: Games end with colourful ceremony

Sochi Paralympics: Games end with colourful ceremony


The Ukraine flagbearer, biathlete and cross-country skier Lyudmila Pavlenko entered the stadium wearing a top emblazoned with the word ‘Peace’.

The closing ceremony theme of ‘Reaching the Impossible’ celebrated the achievements of the 547 athletes from 45 countries who competed for the 72 medals on offer.

International Paralympic Committee president Sir Philip Craven hailed the Games as the best ever Winter Paralympics.

“Proud Paralympians – your inspirational athletic performances have redefined the boundaries of possibility,” he told the crowd.

“You have shown the world that absolutely anything is possible and that life is about amazing capabilities and not perceived deficiencies.”

The Paralympic flag was lowered and presented to Pyeonchang in South Korea, hosts of the 2018 Winter Games.

Dutch snowboarder Bibian Mentel-Spee and Australian skier Toby Kane were given the prestigious Whang Youn Dai award for exemplifying the spirit of the Paralympic Games.

Mentel-Spee was instrumental in getting her sport into the Games for the first time in Sochi and became the sport’s first ever female Paralympic champion.

Kane, who won won bronze in the standing division super-combined in Sochi, helped lead the Australia team during a difficult build-up to the Games, which included the death of snowboarder Matthew Robinson last month.



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