Closing Ceremony draws the curtains down on memorable Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics
Athletes applauded for their achievements as the Olympic flag is handed over to Milano Cortina 2026. Read more about the ceremony and the athletes who kept us thrilled and entertained over the last two weeks, below.
The Olympic Winter Games has come to an end following a spectacular closing ceremony at the Bird’s Nest stadium in Beijing.
Mirroring displays the last time the Games were famously held in the city in 2008, the Olympic flame was ceremonially extinguished and fireworks sparkled overhead to form the shape of the Olympic Rings.
Over the past 16 days the world has watched the greatest winter athletes compete against each other for the highest honours, but as they took their place among the parade of nations a giant augmented reality 'Chinese knot' filled the stadium to symbolise the Olympic spirit of togetherness.
Echoing this sentiment, emotional video montages were played on the giant screens showing the athletes’ incredible resilience, bravery and skill over the past two weeks while acting as an important demonstration that however different we are, if we believe in each other, we will be Stronger Together.
Athlete highlights
It’s been a Games to remember with Ailing (Eileen) Gu, Nathan Chen and Chloe Kim, all hitting top form when it mattered most. Gu entered the Games as a clear medal-favourite in the women's freestyle skiing competition, but at 18-years-old there were still questions to be answered as to whether she could deliver on the biggest sporting stage. Two gold medals and a silver were enough to quash all doubts as the People's Republic of China star enjoyed a glorious first Olympic Winter Games.
Figure skater Chen was looking to banish the ghosts of PyeongChang 2018, where stumbles in his short program left him out of the reckoning for the medals. However, in a triumphant return to the Olympic ice at Beijing 2022, the American broke the world record in the short program before crowning his Games with gold after the free skate.
For snowboard legend White, the Games represented a bitter-sweet farewell, as he finished his illustrious Winter Olympic career with a fourth-place finish in the men's halfpipe. The world of sport will now say goodbye to the triple gold medallist who brought so many unforgettable moments to the Olympic stage.