Magnificent fireworks end closing ceremony for 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing

The Winter Olympics in Beijing have officially come to an end after a magnificent firework display brought the Games to a close after two and a half weeks of sport. The Olympics had drama, made history and were overshadowed by Covid concerns and the Kamila Valieva doping scandal, with Norway achieving a record 16 golds for a single Winter Games and Great Britain waiting until the final weekend to get on the medal table — with gold in the women’s curling and silver in the men’s event.

Ad/> Mikaela Shiffrin missed out on the podium but was praised for her mental resilience, Germany dominated the sliding events — winning all but one across luge, skeleton and bobsleigh — while Norwegian biathletes Marte Olsbu Roeiseland and Johannes Thingnes Boe won five medals each, as did Russian Alexander Bolshunov in cross-country skiing. /> Beijing 2022'Going out with a bang!' — Spectacular fireworks bring Beijing 2022 to an endAN HOUR AGO The Games were the most strictly controlled in history, with everyone involved forbidden from exiting the 'closed loop' of official Olympic venues to contain the spread of Covid.

With acclaimed director Zhang Yimou again behind the show for the closing ceremony, just as he was for the opening ceremony, the theme of snowflakes was front and centre right from the off. Children danced beneath a giant snowflake on 12 skates which took inspiration from the Chinese zodiac.

After China’s national anthem, the athlete parade was underway, with men’s curling silver medallist Bruce Mouat carrying the union flag into the stadium. Unlike the opening ceremony, this is a much quicker and more casual affair — and Eve Muirhead found a camera to show off her gold from earlier in the day.