THE Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games came to an end yesterday with the closing ceremony taking place at the National Stadium, also known as the Bird’s Nest, in Beijing. President Xi Jinping attended the ceremony.
Gu Ailing (2nd R in first row) and Su Yiming (3rd R in first row) are seen as Team China parades at the closing ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games in the National Stadium in Beijing yesterday. Xinhua
After over two weeks of competition on ice and snow, Team Norway came out on top of the medal count, winning a total of 37 medals, including 16 gold medals. China, the host country, claimed nine gold medals and 15 medals in total, achieving its best result yet at any Winter Games.
At the ceremony, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach officially declared the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics closed.
The Olympic flame for the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games, which had been burning in the National Stadium for 16 days, was extinguished.
The closing ceremony of the Beijing 2022 at the National Stadium last night. Xinhua
Cai Qi, president of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games, made a speech at the ceremony.
Beijing Mayor Chen Jining passed the Olympic flag to Bach, who then handed it to the mayors of Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, co-hosts of the 2026 Winter Games.
The floor was then given to Milan-Cortina, who presented their eight-minute show themed “Duality, Together.”
The mayors of Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo of Italy, co-hosts of the 2026 Winter Games, wave the Olympic flag as International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach looks on. Xinhua
At the ceremony, new members of the IOC Athletes’ Commission presented commemorative gifts to representatives of the volunteers at the Beijing 2022 to express gratitude for their work during this edition of the Winter Olympics.
Victory ceremonies were held at the ceremony to present medals for the cross-country skiing women’s 30km mass start free and the cross-country skiing men’s 50km mass start free.
The Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and State Council have sent a congratulatory message to the Chinese delegation for its “best in history” performance at the Games.
The delegation was praised for earning acclaim for China and the people, and making important contributions to the success of hosting the Games.
“The motherland and people are proud of your accomplishments,” the message read.
At a press conference yesterday morning, Cai said the Beijing Winter Olympics is bound to make history.
As the first global multi-sport event to be held as scheduled since the COVID-19 outbreak, the Beijing 2022 has effective COVID-19 countermeasures, which will provide “a successful paradigm for other major international events,” Cai said, who added the Games will leave lasting legacies in global winter sports development.
Editor/Li Jing
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