The closing ceremony promises to be a fantastic affair in “art-house style” and the spectators will continue their trip through Russian culture, say the ceremony organizers. The spectacular event will end with a tumultuous firework display.

As the Sochi Games are closed, the Olympic flag will be handed over to the next host nation – South Korea, whose city Pyeongchang will be the venue of the Winter Olympic Games in 2018.

Looking back at the games, Olympic officials say they were grand in terms of both scale and results. A record 88 nations competed in Sochi, which beat the previous record of 82 set at the previous Vancouver Winter Olympics in 2010.

The athletes were also fighting for a record number of medals. Overall 98 sets of medals have been up for grabs during the Games.

No Olympics goes without breaking records. Among those set in Sochi’s arenas were Olympic records set by Dutch speed skaters who achieved clean sweeps in no less than four events and medaled in every single speed skating race, men’s and women’s.

Along with the Dutch skaters, the Norwegian athletes were also breaking their own records. Cross-country skier Marit Bjoergen now has six Olympic golds (she won 3 in Sochi), equaling the record number of medals for a woman at the Winter Olympics, while biathlete Ole Einar Bjørndalen became the most medaled Olympian in the history of the Winter Games, with 13 medals. He won his 12th and 13th medal in Sochi.

Figure skating has always been considered a “young” sport as many skaters start to compete at a high level at the age of 17 or 18. However, Russia broke the ‘young’ record as fifteen-year-old Yulia Lipnitskaya became the country’s youngest athlete to ever win a gold medal at the Winter Olympics, after her splendid free skate in the team figure skating event.

After 15 fierce days of competition, where their athletes showed their skills in skiing, skating and snowboarding, Russia has topped the medal table. The host nation has won 33 medals including 13 gold, 11 silver and 9 bronze. The second and the third places go to Norway (26 medals, 11 gold, 5 silver, 10 bronze) and Canada (25 medals, 10 gold, 10 silver, 5 bronze).

The president of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach praised the organization of the Games and Russian hospitality.

“Let’s ask those who criticized the Games if they are ready to change their opinion,” Bach told reporters on Sunday. “I spent four nights in different Olympic villages and had an opportunity to learn the opinions of those sportsmen who are important to me. None of the athletes uttered a word of complaint to me.”

Still, the Olympic spirit won’t leave Sochi with the closing ceremony of XXII Winter Olympic games, because, hot on its heels, the Black Sea city will host the XI Paralympic Winter Games from March 7-16.