The closing ceremony of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. [사진=연합뉴스]
The smallest torch in Olympic history that lit the Beijing sky for 17 days was digested with a spectacular closing ceremony.
The closing ceremony of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics (hereinafter referred to as the Olympics) was held at the National Stadium in Beijing, China on February 20 at 9:00 PM (Korean time). The closing ceremony was scheduled to last 100 minutes.
The closing ceremony was directed by famous film director Zhang Yimou (China). He was in charge of the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics.
Beijing, China, has become the city to host both summer and winter by hosting the Winter Olympics.
Director Jang predicted before the closing ceremony, “When the torch is extinguished at the end, a moment of the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics will be physically reproduced, giving you a feeling of transcendence as if you have stepped back in time.”
Director Jang picked a subtle and romantic feeling as a point to watch.
The closing ceremony began. The national stadium was dyed red. The inside was full of spectators.
The opening performance begins with a lantern. It means to light up the world. A guest of honor was introduced. Chinese President Xi Jinping and International Olympic Committee (IOC) Chairman Thomas Bach were introduced.
Then the five-star red flag went up, and the national anthem of China was sung.
In connection with the world, the 12 zodiac signs (tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, cow, monkey, chicken, pig, dog, mouse, sheep) were expressed with skates.
A red knot floated in the middle of the stadium with augmented reality (AR).
From the players point of view, the flags of each country entered together.
The Taegeukgi was held in the hands of Cha Min-gyu (Uijeongbu City Hall). Minkyu Cha won the silver medal in the men’s 500m speed skating. This is the second consecutive year following the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.
Host country China entrusted five gold medalists to Hongki Oh. Gao Tingyu (men’s 500m speed skating) and Xu Mengtao (women’s freestyle skiing aerial, above China).
The late Arisa (Japan) and Elena Mayers Taylor (USA) also raised their flags.
Korean delegation entering. [사진=연합뉴스]
After that, the players entered in turn. The Korean delegation was temporarily caught in the broadcast. The Korean delegation placed 14th at the Olympics with two gold medals, five silver medals, and two bronze medals.
The Korean ganggangsullae, which was started by the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) players at the scene, has spread to French athletes as well.
The players, enjoying the feeling of the closing ceremony, went up to the stands. I looked back at this Olympics through video, and the cross-country skiing mass start awards ceremony, called the marathon of the Winter Olympics, followed. The athletes who received the medals smiled brightly.
The national anthem of the female Norwegian athlete who received the gold medal was played, but the male ROC athlete’s national anthem was not played. This is because Russia cannot use its flag and national anthem at the Olympics due to doping scandals.
The Olympic flag passed from Beijing to Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo. The closing ceremony was declared with official speeches by Tsai Qi, Chairman of the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games Organizing Committee and Chairman Bach.
Along with the theme song of the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, the five-ring flag was lifted into the air. As the theme song for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, which started again, ended, the smallest torch inside a large snowflake was extinguished.
With the torch being extinguished, the Winter Olympics promised the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics to be held four years later.
It is the third Winter Olympics to be held in Italy. It connects the 1956 Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics and the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics.
- reporter information
- Lee Dong-hoon
- ldhlive@ajunews.com
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