Beijing marks start of 2022 Winter Olympics flag tour

As the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games came to an end, the countdown for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing has now got underway.

The Olympics flag tour was held in the Chinese capital on Tuesday, setting the ball rolling for Beijing 2022. The venue for the 2008 Summer Olympics is scheduled to be the first city to host both the Summer and the Winter Games in four years’ time.

Soon after the Olympic flag arrived at Beijing International Airport, the flag was taken to the iconic Great Wall in Yanqing district, on the outskirts of the city, for an official welcoming ceremony.

The guest of honor at the event was Jia Zongyang, who won the silver medal in PyeongChang in the men's freestyle skiing aerials. While addressing the crowd, Jia expressed his delight to be part of the Games and his expectations for Beijing 2022.

“I am looking forward to four years from now, to the Beijing Winter Olympics, because we are the host, and it will be a special moment for me to compete on my home soil,” Jia said. “I will try my best to train hard and hoping for an even better result.”

Silver medalist Jia Zongyang at the medal ceremony for the Freestyle Skiing at 2018 PyeongChang Games/ VCG Photo

For the next four years, as Beijing will be gearing up for the much-anticipated quadrennial event, the Olympic flag will remain in China. At the same time, a series of events will be held to promote the development of winter sports across the country.

(CGTN)