London 2012 Olympics Closing Ceremony: As it happened

Zeenews Sports Bureau

Fireworks galore and 'The Who' sing My Generation, and with that the closing ceremony comes to an end. “When our time came - Britain we did it right. Thank you!”, said chairman of the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games, Lord Sebastian Coe and indeed Britain did it right not only in the opening ceremony but also in the closing ceremony as well. CLICK ON THE IMAGE FOR THE PICTURE GALLERY The legendary 'The Who' will now conclude the ceremony. And the Olympic flame is extinguished. The 204 petals of the Olympic cauldron descend to ground level and the Olympic flame is extinguished. Darcey Bussell CBE, prima ballerina joins the performers from Rio and leads them in a procession. She became Principal Dance for the Royal Ballet at 20-year-old and held the position until she retired in 2007.Courtesy: BBC CLICK ON THE IMAGE FOR THE PICTURE GALLERY Take That nowing singing ‘Rule the World’. As the final flame flickers in the Olympic Cauldron and its stems open outwards, a new flame comes to life above it. It forms the outline of a flaming, 20m-wide phoenix, suspended high above the audience. Courtesy: www.london2012.com IOC President Jacques Rogge says, " You have shown the world the best of British hospitality. I know the generosity of spirit will continue as we marvel at the dedication of the wonderful Paralympic athletes." Lord Sebastian Coe says,"To all the Olympians who came to London to compete – thank you. Those of us who came to watch witnessed moments of heroism and heartbreak that will live long in the memory. You have our admiration and our congratulations. This may be the end of these two glorious weeks in London.But what we have begun will not stop now." The greatest footballer ever Pele arrives on stage. Actor-singer Seu Jorge is wearing a Malandro-style suit. Singer Marisa Monte now. Model Alessandra Ambrosio takes part. CLICK ON THE IMAGE FOR THE PICTURE GALLERY Eight minute segment celebrating Rio's mix of cultures, music and dance now. CLICK ON THE IMAGE FOR THE PICTURE GALLERY Official flag handover ceremony now as Mayor of London Boris Johnson passes the Olympic flag to Jacques Rogge - president of the International Olympic Committee. CLICK ON THE IMAGE FOR THE PICTURE GALLERY Rogge presents the flag to Eduardo Paes, Mayor of Rio de Janeiro and the Brazilian National Anthem is played. The anthem was recorded by the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Olympic Anthem sung by the London Welsh Male Voice Choir and the London Welsh Rugby Club Choir, conducted by Michael Wynne Jones. Brian May is joined on stage by Jessie J for her own rendition of 'We Will Rock You'. CLICK ON THE IMAGE FOR THE PICTURE GALLERY This is the most electrifying perfomance of the night so far. Brian May's solo guitar, absolutely to die for. Now Queen members Brian May and Roger Taylor perform their 1974 hit Brighton Rock. Freddie Mercury on the gaint screen, it is a footage from a live performance from 1986 at Wembley Stadium.He sings his famous "call and response" with the audience "deyo, deyo". And this audience respond too. A bit Bhangra into the mix now as Eric Idle struggles to get the hang og the Bhangra beats. CLICK ON THE IMAGE FOR THE PICTURE GALLERY Chachi Valencia, aka The Rocket Man, is fired across the stadium. But he does not go flying instead he starts singing. It is Monty Python like. Eric Idle performing a new version of Always Look on the Bright Side of Life. He is joined by opera singer Susan Bullock, Hackney Colliery Band, London Welsh Rugby Club, Reading Scottish Pipe Band and Blackheath Morris Men. CLICK ON THE IMAGE FOR THE PICTURE GALLERY CLICK ON THE IMAGE FOR THE PICTURE GALLERY Beady Eye performing Wonderwall. Spice Girls make a grand entry. Out of five taxi cabs come Baby, Sporty, Posh, Ginger and Scary Spice.They are performing a medley starting with Wannabe and zig-a-zig-ahing into Spice up your Life. CLICK ON THE IMAGE FOR THE PICTURE GALLERY CLICK ON THE IMAGE FOR THE PICTURE GALLERY Jessie, Tinie and Taio come to together to perform The Bee Gee's, You Should be Dancing - a song featured in the film Saturday Night Fever. CLICK ON THE IMAGE FOR THE PICTURE GALLERY CLICK ON THE IMAGE FOR THE PICTURE GALLERY Jessie J, Tinnie Tempah and Taio Cruz riding in a car. Jessie is singing Price Tag. Tinie singing Written in the Stars.Taio performs Dynamite. Celebrated DJ Fatboy Slim with his tune. CLICK ON THE IMAGE FOR THE PICTURE GALLERY The bus has turned into a gaint plastic Octopus and DJ Fatboy Slim comes out of it. Russell Brand comes out on top off a bus. He is singing Pure Imagination from Willie Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. He is now singing The Beatle's I am the Walrus from 1967. CLICK ON THE IMAGE FOR THE PICTURE GALLERY Tightrope walkers appears. Ed Sheeran performs Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here. Here comes Annie Lennox OBE on a dark skeletal ship. She performs her 1993 hit Little Bird. CLICK ON THE IMAGE FOR THE PICTURE GALLERY These billboards of iconic British models - Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Lily Donaldson, Stella Tennant, Karen Elson, Lily Cole. CLICK ON THE IMAGE FOR THE PICTURE GALLERY The models wear Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood, Christopher Kane, Burberry, Erdem, Victoria Beckham, Jonathan Saunders, Stephen Jones (headwear) and Paul Smith. Homage to David Bowie. The Kaiser Chiefs appear on stage performing The Who's hit Pinball Wizard from 1969. CLICK ON THE IMAGE FOR THE PICTURE GALLERY George Michael makes his first appearance since his life-threatening bout of pneumonia last year. He is singing 'Freedom' his 1990s hit with the entire stadium abuzz with LED lightings. CLICK ON THE IMAGE FOR THE PICTURE GALLERY John Lennon tribute as choir of 100 people sing Imagine. Original footage from the famous Imagine photo shoot from 22 July 1971 being shown. Aslo we get a overhead shot of the face of John Lennon at the end of the song. CLICK ON THE IMAGE FOR THE PICTURE GALLERY Freddie Mercury echoes around the Stadium singing Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody. Symphony of British music now. It is time to applaud the volunteers of the Games. And Athletes giving them flowers recognising their effort put in for the Games. 70,000 Games Maker volunteers are publicly thanked in the stadium for all their hard work. CLICK ON THE IMAGE FOR THE PICTURE GALLERY And now the victory ceremony of the Men’s marathon, it has been customary to award the men’s marathon medal right at the last during the medal ceremony. The most gruelling event of the Olympics, athletes running 42.2km and it was Stephen Kiprotich of Uganda who won the gold. Kenyan duo Abel Kirui and Wilson Kipsang took the silver and bronze. CLICK ON THE IMAGE FOR THE PICTURE GALLERY Cast of 186 performing with boxes. 30 in number, each representing the Olympic events. They would be stacked in a pyramid structure. The next 20-minute segment of the show is called Here Comes The Sun. It includes the men's marathon medal ceremony and a special moment for the Games Makers volunteers as well as recognition for the newly-elected members of the International Olympic Committee's Athletes' Commission. Courtesy BBC. What a sight this is, Indian contingnent is also enjoying, Krishna Poonia is dancing her way in the crowd. CLICK ON THE IMAGE FOR THE PICTURE GALLERY Glitter is raining down on the stadium now as Elbow's One Day Like This rings out. CLICK ON THE IMAGE FOR THE PICTURE GALLERY Music band 'Elbow' with a rousing sound track as athletes march on clicking pictures. Parade of the athletes from the all corner of the stadium. What a sight, right among the crowds. They were once unknown faces in the crowd and look at them now. David Arnold performing 'Open Arms' and 'One Day Like This'. CLICK ON THE IMAGE FOR THE PICTURE GALLERY And here come the stars of the Olympics the athletes, marching down in a very festive mood. And do you know who is India's flag-bearer; it is MC MARY KOM. Flags enter the stadium. The happiness, dejection, angst, relief of each and every Olympic athletes is on display. Now it is a collage of emotional moments from the London Olympics with Emeli Sande reprising Read All About It. As Ray sings "Sha la la" the crowd join in. CLICK ON THE IMAGE FOR THE PICTURE GALLERY And here comes Ray Davies in a black cab singing Waterloo sunset. CLICK ON THE IMAGE FOR THE PICTURE GALLERY 30 gymnasts from the acrobatic troupe 'Spellbound' on show now. Stomp move out with their performance. CLICK ON THE IMAGE FOR THE PICTURE GALLERY Stomp putting up an amazing performance. One Direction with What Makes You Beautiful followed by Stomp. 40 performers. CLICK ON THE IMAGE FOR THE PICTURE GALLERY Pet Shop Boys performing ‘West End Girls’. CLICK ON THE IMAGE FOR THE PICTURE GALLERY After madness, Blur’s 1994 album Parklife’ 'being performed by the Massed Bands of the Household Division. Madness perform their hit ‘Our House’ – a song that evokes the tolerance and inclusiveness of cosmopolitan London CLICK ON THE IMAGE FOR THE PICTURE GALLERY The classic scene from the 1969 film The Italian Job & cult British TV comedy ‘Only Fools and Horses’. Representing HM The Queen is HRH Prince Henry of Wales, arriving with IOC President Rogge at his final Games as President. National Anthem of Great Britain now. It is English literature at display, the newspapers. It is newspapers all around. The cabs are covered with newspapers, the artists, the cyclists everyone. Timothy Spall dressed as Churchill reciting Shakespeare. He read the same quote from the Tempest with which Kenneth Brannagh started the Opening Ceremony. CLICK ON THE IMAGE FOR THE PICTURE GALLERY Theatre group Stomp swing from scaffolds, turning London’s famous buildings into instruments creating a cacophony of noise! Emeli Sandé opens the closing ceremony.She sings ‘Read all about it’. CLICK ON THE IMAGE FOR THE PICTURE GALLERY The countdown has begun. After the razzle-dazzle of the opening ceremony , we are all set for the closure of the XXX Olympic Games. London greeted the world and the best athletes of the planet with grandeur and delight on July 27th and now after 15 days it is now going to end. CLICK HERE » The closing ceremony is scheduled to start at 1:30 pm IST (21:00 BST). Watch this space for live updates and pics. Take a look at the super sexy Melanie Brown rehearsing ahead of the Spice Girls' performance at Olympic Stadium. CLICK ON THE IMAGE FOR THE PICTURE GALLERY While you anxiously wait for the closing ceremony to start take a look at the final medal tally here. Also, relieve India’s golden moments at the London Olympics here If you are interested in taking a look at how the opening ceremony went, click click here From Boyle’s Isles of Wonder, a green and pleasant land, John Milton’s capital city of Hell (Pandemonium) to James Bond and Mr. Bean`s Chariots of Fire cameo, London lived up to the expectation of presenting a swanky opening ceremony for the XXX Olympiad. Will the closing ceremony match up to the opening? Well, honestly one would not care much. London has delivered probably the best Olympic Games ever and they should get this one right as well. WHO ALL WILL PERFORM IN THE CLOSING CEREMONY? Isn’t that the biggest question in everybody’s mind now? Here is a sneak peek into that. The Spice Girls will be there probably singing their biggest hit ‘Wannabe’. Appearance by surviving members of Queen, Ray Davies of The Kinks is tipped to perform his majestic London ballad "Waterloo Sunset." CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE STORY»