All the new sports venues for the 2022 Winter Olympics will break ground this year, and the debut of its mascot will take place in February 2019, according to the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympics Winter Games.
There will be 26 sports venues for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games, including 11 new ones, according to Liu Yumin, an official from the organizing committee. The planning and construction of all the venues are in steady progress, and the new venues will all break ground this year. All the venues are expected to complete by the end of 2019, Liu said.
The main structure of the National Speed Skating Rink will start construction soon. The construction of the venues for bobsleigh and tobogganing in Yanqing District is progressing smoothly.
The handover ceremony of the Olympic flag will be held on Feb. 25 as part of the closing ceremony of the upcoming Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, after which the countdown will begin for the Winter Games in Beijing.
After the handover ceremony, Beijing will stage an eight-minute performance, which is directed by Zhang Yimou and set to present Chinese cultural signs and elements in a creative, modern, and international manner, according to Chang Yu, press minister of the organizing committee.
Chang said preparation for the 2022 Winter Olympics is in full swing this year, including market development, personnel training, and organizing international conferences.
Organizers are seeking public input on the design of the mascot, and the final design will unveil by February 2019. Next August, organizers will begin soliciting ideas for the event’s motto, and the winner will be announced in January 2021.