Paralympics : Coldplay, Rihanna, Jay-Z star in Games finale

Paralympics : Coldplay, Rihanna, Jay-Z star in Games finale

Fantastical wheeled vehicles, roller-skating warriors and bursts of fire brought the London Paralympics to a close Sunday, in a quirky closing ceremony headlined by Coldplay, Rihanna and Jay-Z.

British supergroup Coldplay provided the backdrop to a three-hour extravaganza interspersed3 Paralympics: Coldplay, Rihanna, Jay-Z star in Games finale

Fantastical wheeled vehicles, roller-skating warriors and bursts of fire brought the London Paralympics to a close Sunday, in a quirky closing ceremony headlined by Coldplay, Rihanna and Jay-Z. British supergroup Coldplay provided the backdrop to a three-hour extravaganza interspersed with dance and performance at the Olympic Stadium in east London, belting out hits including “Clocks”, “The Scientist” and “Yellow”. “Being asked to play at the Paralympic Closing Ceremony in our home town is a huge honour,” said lead singer Chris Martin. “This will be the biggest night of our lives,” added Martin, who is married to US actress Gwyneth Paltrow.

The band, who have sold more than 50 million records worldwide, accepted a fee of £1 to headline the show.

The ceremony kicked off with a procession of fire jugglers, a parade of drummers carrying blazing beacons, and a giant burning model cyclist who wheeled around the stadium. Dressed unusually modestly in a flowing orange gown and veil, Barbados star Rihanna sailed into the show onboard a model ship and sang a steamy duet with Martin, before performing another number on a swing strung high over the stadium. afp