2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing Задание на чтение
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2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing - numbers and facts

During the 128th IOC (the International Olympic Committee) session in Kuala Lumpur on July 31, 2015, Beijing was chosen to host the 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games making the Chinese capital the first city ever to host both the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games (in 2008) as well as the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games (in 2022). Beijing won the right to host the 2022 Olympics and Paralympics in a tight race, beating Kazakhstan’s Almaty in 2015, by chalking up 44 votes against its rival’s 40.

2022 Olympic Games dates

The 2022 Winter Olympic Games will be held from February 4 to 20, running for 17 days with the first set of medals at stake on February 5.

Participants

About 3,000 athletes representing 91 countries participated in the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in China.

Participating teams in numbers

The most represented team at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing will be the team from the United States boasting a total of 224 athletes on its national roster. The ROC (the Russian Olympic Committee) Team sent 212 athletes, while hosts China will be represented by 176 athletes.

Age-criteria records among Olympic participants

According to various media outlets, Russia’s 15-year-old figure skater Kamila Valieva will be the youngest participant of the 2022 Winter Games.

The eldest participant of the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing will be Germany’s 49-year-old speed skater Claudia Pechstein, who is a five-time Olympic Champion, winning her first Olympic gold at the 1994 Winter Games in Norway’s Lillehammer.

2022 Winter Games program

The program of the 2022 Winter Olympic Games includes 15 disciplines: Alpine Skiing; Biathlon; Bobsleigh; Cross-Country Skiing; Curling; Figure Skating; Freestyle Skiing; Ice Hockey; Luge; Nordic Combined; Short Track Speed Skating; Skeleton; Ski Jumping; Snowboarding; Speed Skating.

2022 Olympics organization

The announced budget for the organization of the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing stands at $3.9 billion. Some 19,000 volunteers will be providing their services during the Games.

Winter Dream – Emblem of the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022

The emblem for the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 named ‘Winter Dream’, the design for the emblem was inspired by 冬, the Chinese character for ‘winter’.

The upper part of the emblem resembles a skater and the lower part a skier, which as a whole also represents all Olympic ice and snow sports. The ribbon-like motif in between, full of rhythm, stands for the host country’s rolling mountains, competition venues, ski courses and skating tracks. The ribbons, as artistically expressed in the emblem, give a touch of festivity and are an indication that the Games coincide with the celebrations of the Chinese New Year.

The emblem’s primary colour of blue represents dreams and the future, as well as the purity of ice and snow. The colours of red and yellow, which draw on those of China’s National Flag, represent passion, youth and vigour. The presentation of the words ‘Beijing 2022’, a nod to the art of Chinese calligraphy and paper-cutting, adds to the harmony of the entire emblem.

Olympic Mascot

Bing Dwen Dwen is a giant panda with a suit of ice. "Bing" means ice and embodies purity and strength, the characteristics of the Winter Olympics. "Dwen Dwen", which means health, liveliness and cuteness, conforms to the overall image of pandas and symbolizes the strength, tenacity and inspiring Olympic spirit of Winter Olympic athletes. The colorful ring around Bing Dwen Dwen's face is inspired by the "ice ribbon" of the national speed skating hall of the Beijing Winter Olympics. Bing Dwen Dwen's full-body "shell", which helps the panda to skate, snowboard and ski alongside the Olympic athletes, is a tribute to embracing new technologies for a future with infinite possibilities, the bright colours of the halo around its face are a representation of the latest advanced technologies of the ice and snow sport tracks at the Games, while the heart on its left palm symbolises China's hospitality for athletes and spectators at the Winter Olympics. 

Shuey Rhon Rhon is an anthropomorphic Chinese lantern. Lanterns represent harvest, celebration, warmth and light. The wishful shape at the top symbolizes auspicious happiness. The continuous pattern of the dove of peace and the Temple of Heaven symbolize the peaceful friendship and highlights the characteristics of the place where the events are held. The decorative pattern incorporates the traditional Chinese paper-cutting art. The snow on the face represents the meaning of "a fall of seasonable snow gives promise of a fruitful year" (瑞雪兆丰年). It also reflects the anthropomorphic design and highlights the mascot's cuteness.

Bing Dwen Dwen is the main Olympic mascot. Shuey Rhon Rhon is the Paralympic mascot.

Olympic medals

 The design of the Olympic medals are often a reflection of the host country and its culture. According to the Olympic committee, the Beijing 2022 medals are named "Tong Xin," which means "together as one." The design has the five Olympic rings in the center and is based on "Chinese ancient jade concentric circle pendants" according to the release. The carved designs on the rings surrounding the center are all based on traditional Chinese patterns. The words "XXIV Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022" are also engraved on the front. The jade-inlaid 2022 medals mirror those of the 2008 Summer Games. On the back, the emblem of the Beijing 2022 Games is in the center with the full Chinese name of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games engraved around it. The back also features ice, snow and cloud patterns.

The medals for the Paralympic Winter Games use the same design. The center of the front of the medals is engraved with the logo of the International Paralympic Committee and surrounded by the engraved words "Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games" in both English and Braille.

Mark the statements True/False/Not stated according to the text.

1. Beijing hosted both Winter and Summer Olympic Games.
2. China was the most represented team 2022 Winter Olympics.
3. 15-year-old figure skater Kamila Valieva was the youngest participant of the Winter Games ever.
4. The eldest participant of the 2022 Winter Games won her first Olympic gold 28 years ago.
5. The emblem for the Olympic Winter Games Beijing was inspired by the Chinese character meaning ‘winter’.
6. The ribbon-like motif of the emblem reminds mountains and ski courses.
7. Shuey Rhon Rhon is the mascot of the 2022 Winter Olympic Games.
8. Bing Dwen Dwen was chosen from more than 100 characters.
9. The Olympic medals have traditional Chinese patterns on their sides.
10. The 2022 Winter Olympic medals have similarities with the 2008 Summer Games ones.