Canada celebrates Olympics in front of billions

Place: VANCOUVER

 

Details: A burst of fireworks ignited the Vancouver Olympics closing ceremony Sunday in front of an estimated global television audience of billions on a historic day for Canada.

Just hours after the host nation's ice hockey win over the United States sparked raucous celebrations, the Olympic cauldron was lit for the final time in the city's 60,000-seat BC Place stadium.

The athletes entered the stadium to huge cheers on the day when Canada broke the record for the most number of gold medals won at a Winter Games.

Canadian team chiefs announced earlier Sunday that figure skater Joannie Rochette, who won a bronze medal just days after her mother's sudden death, had been picked to carry the Canadian flag.

The Olympic flag was handed over to Anatoly Pakhomov, mayor of Russian city Sochi, the host of the 2014 Winter Games.

Iconic Canadian singer Neil Young and Hollywood stars William Shatner and Michael J. Fox were among the performers listed on the programme.

The Games opened on a low note with the death of luger Nodar Kumaritashvili but ended on a high with Canada celebrating their haul of 14 gold.