XXIV Winter Olympic Games 2022
04-20 February 2022 | Beijing, China
Seven years after it won the right to host the 128th IOC Session in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the capital city of China PR, Beijing held the XXIV Winter Olympic Games from 4 to 20 February 2022.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Games were held in a ‘bubble’ environment where participants were subjected to daily Covid-19 testing and could only travel to and from Games-related venues. Further, the XXIV Winter Olympic Games also limited ticket sales to the general public to further ensure the safety of the Games’ participants.
The Games featured a record total of 109 events across 15 sports, with Malaysia sending 2 participants who were both Alpine skiers. This was Malaysia’s second appearance at the Winter Olympic Games.
The Contingent was led by Ms. Moira Tan Siew See as the Chef-de-Mission. The two Alpine skiers were Jeffrey Webb and Aruwin Salehhudin. The latter was the flagbearer during the opening ceremony, while Webb held the flag during the closing ceremony.
It was Webb’s second participation at a Winter Olympic Games, while Salehhudin, at 17 years old, became the first female to represent Malaysia at a Winter Olympic Games.
Emblem
Designed by artist Lin Cunzhen, the emblems combine traditional and modern elements of Chinese culture, as well as features embodying the passion and vitality of winter sports.
Inspired by 冬, the Chinese character for “winter”, the emblem resembles a skater at the top and a skier at the bottom. The flowing ribbon-like motif between them symbolises the host country’s rolling mountains, Olympic venues, ski pistes and skating rinks. It also points to the fact that the Games will coincide with the Chinese New Year.
The use of blue in the emblem represents dreams, the future and the purity of ice and snow, while red and yellow – the colours of China’s national flag – symbolise passion, youth and vitality.
Mascot
Named “Bing Dwen Dwen”, the panda which is created by Cao Xue, wears a full-body shell that resembles an astronaut suit. The shell not only helps Bing Dwen Dwen to skate, snowboard and ski but it is also a tribute to embracing new technologies for a future with infinite possibilities.
In Mandarin, “Bing” has several meanings, with the most common being ‘ice’ while “Dwen Dwen” means robust and lively while also representing ‘children’.
The bright colours of the halo around its face are a representation of the latest advanced technologies of the ice and snow sport tracks at the Games, while the heart on its left palm symbolises China's hospitality for athletes and spectators at the Winter Olympics.
Torch
Standing at 820mm tall and weighing 1.10kg, the Beijing 2022 Olympic torch, named 'Flying' (飞扬 Fei Yang in Chinese) features a striking inner red 'blazing ribbon' that contrasts with a second ribbon that is silver-plated on the outer edge of the torch.
The design of the torch, resembling two overlapping and fluttering ribbons, was inspired from the 2008 torch when Beijing hosted both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. The two main colours of the torch, red symbolising the flame and white representing ice, are similar to the 2008 torch.