Closing ceremony: Beijing hands over to Milan, Cortina...and Antholz

IOC President Thomas Bach spoke the corresponding formula at 21.31:14.31 p.m. local time (XNUMX:XNUMX p.m. CET) in the National Stadium in Beijing, and the Olympic flame went out six minutes later.

“It was a truly extraordinary Winter Games,” Bach said in his speech. “Let’s welcome China as a winter sports country.” The German thanked the “Chinese friends” around state and party leader Xi Jinping, who was also present. The next Winter Olympics will take place in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo in 2026. Bach handed over the Olympic flag, which he had taken over from Beijing's mayor Chen Jining, to two mayors for the first time, namely Beppe Sala (Milan) and Gianpietro Ghedina (Cortina). There was a celebration in Antholz This will be the third time, after Cortina 1956 and Turin 2006, that the Winter Games will be held in Italy. For the first time, competitions will also take place in South Tyrol, at the Antholz Biathlon Center. The closing ceremony in Beijing was celebrated there on Sunday afternoon and the countdown to the 2026 Olympics began. There were current and former South Tyrolean Olympic participants, newly crowned medalists from Beijing, South Tyrol's CONI boss Alex Tabarelli, as well as numerous other big names from the local sports scene, officials, sports journalists and politicians.

In China, South Tyrol won five medals with Omar Visintin (silver, bronze), Nadia Delago (bronze), Dorothea Wierer (bronze) and Dominik Filehner (bronze). Italy has a total of 17 medals, gold went to short track runner Arianna Fontana and the curling duo Stefania Constantini/Amos Mosaner. <a data-fancybox="gallery-test" class="spn-fancybox uk-inline first" href="https://s3-images.sportnews.bz/_images/scale/1400x800/img/2022/02/das-vogelnest-wie-das-olympiastadion-im-volksmund-genannt-wird-zeigte-sich-von-seiner-schoensten-seite.jpg" data-caption="Das „Vogelnest“, wie das Olympiastadion im Volksmund genannt wird, zeigte sich von seiner schönsten Seite. © APA/afp / JEFF PACHOUD" data-type="image"> <a data-fancybox="gallery-test" class="spn-fancybox uk-inline first" href="https://s3-images.sportnews.bz/_images/scale/1400x800/img/2022/02/thomas-bach-uebergab-die-olympische-flagge-an-giuseppe-sala-und-gianpietro-ghedina-die-buergermeister-von-mailand-und-cortina.jpg" data-caption="Thomas Bach übergab die Olympische Flagge an Giuseppe Sala und GIanpietro Ghedina, die Bürgermeister von Mailand und Cortina. © ANSA / HOW HWEE YOUNG" data-type="image"> <a data-fancybox="gallery-test" class="spn-fancybox uk-inline first" href="https://s3-images.sportnews.bz/_images/scale/1400x800/img/2022/02/danach-wurde-die-olympiade-also-das-zeitfenster-bis-zu-den-naechsten-spielen-jenen-in-italien-offiziell-eroeffnet.jpg" data-caption="Danach wurde die Olympiade, also das Zeitfenster bis zu den nächsten Spielen, jenen in Italien, offiziell eröffnet. © ANSA / ANTHONY WALLACE" data-type="image">

In addition to the strict Corona measures, the international games were also overshadowed by the doping scandal surrounding Russia's 15-year-old figure skating favorite Kamila Valieva. The medals in the team competition, which the Russians won, have not yet been awarded at the end of the games. Critical reports on the human rights situation in China were limited - especially since foreign journalists such as Olympic participants and supervisors were only allowed to move within the "closed circuit" due to the corona.

However, the measures had an effect against the virus. As the games continued, there were fewer and fewer infections within the “bubble,” and China saw its restrictive entry policy as justified. High-ranking Western politicians stayed away from the games anyway. Russian President Vladimir Putin paid Xi his respects at the opening and demonstrated his support. “It was truly an extraordinary Winter Games” IOC President Thomas Bach According to his own statements, China's head of state Xi wanted to use the games to bring around 300 million people to winter sports. The Chinese athletes exceeded expectations with nine gold medals and third place in the medal table. However, their compatriots were only allowed to cheer them sporadically. Due to Corona, only a limited number of local spectators were allowed in, fans from abroad were completely excluded.

The Milan/Cortina Winter Games are scheduled for February 6th to 22nd, 2026. In Beijing and the surrounding mountain region, which is characterized by extreme cold, the Winter Paralympics are on the program from March 4th to 13th under Corona conditions. The next Olympic Games will be in Paris in the summer of 2024. Their OC chief Tony Estanguet promised an Olympic “light at the end of the tunnel” in two years.

Football

Italy

International leagues

International

Winter sports

Tennis

Other sports

Motorsport

Cycling

Watersports

Events

Favorites

Closing ceremony: Beijing hands over to Milan, Cortina...and Antholz

The XXIV Olympic Winter Games in Beijing officially ended on Sunday. At the same time, the countdown for the Winter Games in Italy in four years began.

Suggestions

Comments (0)