Pyeongchang Paralympics come to close

South Korean president Moon Jae-in and first lady Kim Jung-sook were in attendance as fireworks and musical performances marked the finish of a record setting Paralympics.

The Pyeongchang event saw 567 athletes from 49 countries participate, the most ever, in alpine skiing, cross country skiing, snowboarding, biathlon, sled ice hockey, and wheelchair curling.

At the closing ceremony International Paralympic Committee president Andrew Parsons paid tribute to the late scientist Stephen Hawking, who spoke at the 2012 London Paralympics opening ceremony.

Dancers perform during the closing ceremony of the Pyeongchang 2018 Paralympic Games Photograph: Naomi Baker/Getty Images

In his speech during the ceremony, the president of the International Paralympic Committee, Andrew Parsons, paid tribute to the physicist, who died last week .

“Tonight is a celebration that if you dare to dream, you must do your best to fulfil it. One man who had a dream was the late Stephen Hawking – an inspiration to us all. He urged us all to look at the stars and not our feet.”

“Over the last 10 days, the stars have shone brightly here in Pyeongchang. While Hawking tested the limits of his imagination, Paralympians have pushed the boundaries of endeavour. The world has focused not on what holds you back, but on what pushes you forward. Every generation gets a chance to change the world. Paralympians! This is your time to be a catalyst for a more inclusive society.”

Hawking’s quote – “however difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at” – was also referenced by the president of the Pyeongchang organising committee, Lee Hee-beom.