CHINA / SOCIETY
About 1,800 torch bearers announced for Beijing 2022 aged from 14 to 86: organizing committee
Published: Jan 21, 2022 12:19 PM
Short track speed skating Olympic champion Zhang Hui holds the torch during the Torch Exhibition Tour of Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Jan. 5, 2022.Photo:Xinhua

Short track speed skating Olympic champion Zhang Hui holds the torch during the Torch Exhibition Tour of Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 in Harbin, Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, January 5, 2022. Photo:Xinhua



The Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games unveiled on Friday that there will be about 1,200 torch bearers for the Winter Olympic Games and about 600 torch bearers for the Paralympic Games, among them the eldest is 86 years and the youngest is 14.   

Yan Cheng, an official from the human resources department of the Beijing Organizing Committee, told a press briefing on Friday that torch bearers are selected jointly by a number of organizations and institutions including the International Olympic Committee, the International Paralympic Committee, the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, the Chinese Olympic Committee, the China Paralympic Committee, the provinces and cities in which the competition will be held, and various sponsoring companies.

The torch bearers come from various parts of society, and most of them have made outstanding achievements or contributions to their own area or field, and some are also representatives and celebrities from all walks of life in fields like science, education, culture and health. 

Among those 1,800 torch bearers, there are foreigners from 20 countries and regions around the world. 

The torch relay of the Beijing Winter Olympics will be held in downtown Beijing, suburban Yanqing and Zhangjiakou in neighboring Hebei, from February 2 to 4, including 11 closed relay areas outside the closed loop and a single independent relay area inside the closed loop. The relay will pass through symbolic locations such as the Badaling Scenic Area of the Great Wall, the Summer Palace as well as a ski resort in Chongli. 

The relay will also showcase some cutting-edge technology such as robotics and autonomous driving, showcasing a high-tech future. 

The flame exhibition tour for the Beijing 2022 Games was held on Thursday in Beijing as the city moved closer to the opening ceremony of the highly anticipated Games.