Paralympics: Simmonds, Peacock extinguish flame
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LONDON (AFP) - Top British athletes Ellie Simmonds and Jonnie Peacock on Sunday extinguished the Paralympic flame, signalling the formal end to the London Games and the start of the countdown to Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
Swimmer Simmonds, 17, was a double gold medallist in Beijing four years ago at the age of just 13, and won gold in London in the women's S6 200m individual medley and 400m freestyle, as well as silver in the 100m and bronze in the 50m.
Peacock, 19, is the fastest single below-the-knee amputee sprinter over 100m with a world record of 10.85sec. He took "Blade Runner" Oscar Pistorius's title at the Olympic Stadium last Thursday.
The formal end came after Mr Sebastian Coe said the Games had transformed attitudes towards disability, while International Paralympic Committee president Philip Craven said they were "the best Paralympic Games ever".
