Beijing has won the right to host the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. Beijing will become the first city ever to host both editions of the Games.
Beijing 2022 has planned three Games zones: Beijing, Yanqing and Zhangjiakou. The Beijing zone will provide the venues for the opening and closing ceremonies as well as the ice sports competitions. The Yanqing zone will host the bobsleigh, skeleton and luge as well as Alpine skiing competitions. Biathlon and all the skiing events, except Alpine skiing, will take place in the Zhangjiakou zone. Both the Yanqing and Zhangjiakou zones are located to the north-west of the Beijing zone along the Yanshan mountain range.
The torch’s design unites movement, innovation and Brazilian flavor, reflecting the essence of the Rio 2016 Olympic Torch Relay, which will be a meeting of the traditional Olympic flame and the warmth of the Brazilian people, throughout the country.
The upper part of the torch is made of several segments, which open and expand vertically when the flame is passed from one torch to the next. These segments, with their floating effect, represent the athletes’ effort. When they open, they reveal elements representing diversity, energy and the country’s exuberant natural landscape with, from top to bottom and in the colors of the Brazilian flag:
The Sky – The highest part of the Olympic Torch is represented by the sun, which, like Brazilians, shines and illuminates wherever it passes. Its colour is golden, representing the ultimate achievement at the Games.
The Mountains – Rio’s natural beauty, expressed in the green curves of its hills and valleys.
The Sea – Blue, organic and fluid ripples represent the sea, always present in the landscapes of Brazil and Rio.
The Ground – Our land, which is part of our history. Represented by the Copacabana promenade, the most famous piece of ground in Rio.
The body of the torch where each runner holds it has a texture made of small triangles, as an allusion to the three Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect.
The torch will visit 83 cities, including the 26 state capitals, and will pass through around 500 towns, with 300 hosting the relay and another 200 watching the convoy go by. The relay will reach an estimated 90 per cent of Brazil’s population and will cover 20,000km of the country by road and 16,000km by air over the north and mid-west.
photo credit: http://www.insidethegames.biz/
Road to Olympics 