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With the coronavirus pandemic and the boycott in the background, on Friday the "bird's nest" at the National Stadium in the Chinese capital of Beijing.
The official opening was led by President Xi Jinping, and the fire was lit by cross-country skiers Dinigeer Yilamujiang and Zhao Jiawen
Currently, Beijing hosts 16 days of winter games, covering 15 different sports, with a total of 109 competitions for 91 countries.
Due to the pandemic, the organizers decided that the opening ceremony should be "simple, safe and wonderful",
Although this time there were also light shows and sumptuous effects, the contrast with the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics was striking. During that time, the performance was performed by 15 people - this year the number has been reduced to 000.
Putin in the stands
Despite diplomatic boycotts from several countries. In addition to President Xi, there were several international leaders in the stands, headed by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The United States, Great Britain, Canada and Australia are among the countries that do not send official representatives to the Games to protest against human rights conditions, and in particular against the treatment of the Muslim minority in China.
. Norwegian flag
Alpinist Kjetil Jansrud and curling rider Kristin Skaslien had the honor of bringing the Norwegian flag to the Olympic Stadium in Beijing at the head of the Norwegian 84-player squad.
Norway entered the arena as number 51 out of 91 countries. First Greece entered the stadium, followed by Turkey and Malta. As usual, the host country ended the procession.
Of the remaining Scandinavian countries, Denmark came 13th, 37th Finland and 78th Sweden. China, as the host nation, was the last. Countries entered the arena according to the Chinese alphabet.
Poland
57 Poles were registered for the start in Beijing, although probably not all White and Reds will have a chance to participate in the Olympics. All because of coronavirus infections detected in the Polish staff. It is already known that Natalia Maliszewska will not start at her crown distance of 500 meters in a short track, which is bad news as the Polish woman was one of the candidates for the Olympic medal.
Beijing 2022. The Polish national team
Biathlon:
- Monika Hojnisz-Staręga
- Kamila Żuk
- Anna Maka
- Kinga Zbylut
- Grzegorz Guzik
Figure skating:
- Natalia Kaliszek
- Maksym Spodyriev
- Ekaterina Kurakowa
Speed skating:
- Angelika Wojcik
- Kaja Ziomek
- Natalia Czerwonka
- Karolina Bosek
- Magdalena Czyszczoń
- Piotr Michalski
- Marek Kania
- Damian Żurek
- Zbigniew Brodka
- Artur Janicki
- Natalia Maliszewska
- Kamila Stormowska
- Nikola Mazur
- Patricia Maliszewska
- Michal Niewinski
- Lukasz Kuczynski
Cross-country skiing:
- Isabella Marcisz
- Monika Skinder
- Weronika Kaleta
- Magdalena Kobielusz
- Karolina Kukuczka
- Maciej Staraga
- Dominik Bury
- Kamil Bury
- Mateusz Haratyk
Norwegian Combination:
- Andrew Szczechowicz
- Szczepan Kupczak
Ski Jumping:
- King Rajda
- Nicole Konderla
- Kamil Stoch
- Piotr Zyla
- David Kubacki
- Paweł Wasek
- Stefan Hula
Alpine competitions:
- Maryna Caterpillar-Daniel
- Magdalena Łuczak
- Zuzanna Czapska
- Hanna Zieba
- Michal Jasiczek
- Pawel Pijas
Snowboarding:
- Weronika Biela-Nowaczyk
- Alexander King
- Aleksandra Michalik
- Oscar Kwiatkowski
- Michal Nowaczyk
Tobogganing Sports:
- Klaudia Domaradzka
- Mateusz Sochowicz
- Jacob Kowalewski
- Wojciech Chmielewski
Handing over the Olympic torch
Due to the risk of crown infection, the torch relay race was shorter than usual at the Olympics. According to tradition, the Olympic flame was transported from Olympia in Greece to China. It happened in October.
Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), participated in the torch relay and passed the flame to the President of the UN General Assembly, Abdulla Shaid.
"It is a symbol that the world needs in times of division and confrontation," said the 68-year-old German.
1000 people transported the Olympic torch around Beijing and the capital of China. This includes Zhangjiakou, where most of Norway's athletes and leaders live and compete in the Olympics.
First time
Beijing is the first city to host both the Summer and Winter Olympics. Haiti and Saudi Arabia are new countries to participate in the Winter Games.
Seven new exercises have been added to this year's Olympic Winter Games: Freestyle Big Air for Men and Women, Monobob for Women, Freestyle Mixed Competition, Ski Jumping Mixed Competition, Snowboard Cross Mixed and Short Skating Mixed Relays.
Source: NTB
(AP Photo / Jae C. Hong)
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