This file photo taken on Jan 22, 2021 shows the interior view of the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing, which has finished ice-making trials. (JU HUANZONG / XINHUA)
With all facilities, equipment and health plans in place, authorities in Beijing's Chaoyang district has shifted focus to streamlining procedures to ensure the safe and smooth running of international test events for next year's Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
Starting from Oct 5, 10 international events, three weeks of training and two domestic test activities will take place through the end of the year at eight Beijing 2022 venues across three zones－downtown Beijing, its northwestern Yanqing district and co-host Zhangjiakou in Hebei province.
Chaoyang is responsible for two international competitions and two domestic test activities.
Joint efforts have been made by Chaoyang district's government agencies to provide comfortable, convenient and safe services in food, accommodation and transportation sectors
The district is also home to three Beijing 2022 venues and several hotels to accommodate athletes and officials.
Joint efforts have been made by the district's government agencies to provide comfortable, convenient and safe services in food, accommodation and transportation sectors.
Accuracy is a key element of the services so as to ensure that time schedules for accommodation, catering and traveling allow athletes and staff members to devote themselves to the competition with ease, said local officials.
An ice hockey domestic testing activity is being held at the National Indoor Stadium, near the Bird's Nest, which served as the main stadium for the Beijing 2008 Olympics, from today to Nov 14, and will see athletes compete in five competitions and take part in 15 training sessions. Beijing has sent four teams to attend the event.
To host the activity, Chaoyang has reconfigured the national stadium and built related temporary indoor and outdoor facilities.
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It has also divided the stadium into two parts－a closed loop and an area outside the loop－for better management of the flow of people.
Accuracy is a key element of the services so as to ensure that time schedules for accommodation, catering and traveling allow athletes and staff members to devote themselves to the competition with ease, said local officials
Staff at the stadium have complied 15 epidemic prevention and control plans covering such aspects as catering, transport, accommodation, garbage cleaning and logistics.
High-tech products are being used to help prevent risks from the pandemic during the activity. They include a maxillofacial trauma treatment vehicle, which can complete an imaging examination and artificial intelligence diagnosis within five minutes; a geomagnetic navigation system for people's real-time location at the stadium; and technologies realizing multiscene three-dimensional elimination of pathogenic microorganisms.
Chaoyang held the first international competition of the Beijing 2022 test series－the Speed Skating China Open－at the newly built National Speed Skating Oval, known as the Ice Ribbon, from Oct 8 to 10.
The winner of women's 500-meter speed skating said it was a great honor to compete in an Olympic venue, which is big and beautiful. The pandemic prevention measures also made her feel particularly safe.
Speaking of facilities, three foreign experts led by experienced Canadian technician Mark Messer, and eight Chinese ice makers worked together to make ice on the oval's 400-meter track.
Another two foreign sports experts were employed to create a more dazzling atmosphere with the Chinese team by creating ice projections and special lighting.
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"The test event has accumulated valuable experience for us. Next, we will summarize problems and improve our capacities to better prepare for the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games," a spokesperson at the oval said.
Chaoyang also held the world wheelchair curling championship at the district's National Aquatics Center, aka the Ice Cube from Oct 23 to 30.
A Chinese team competed with 11 overseas teams from Canada, Russia, Latvia and other countries and regions in 72 events.
