Olympic flame arrives in China ahead of 2022 Games
The Olympic flame arrives in China for the Beijing 2022 Winter Games, following a ceremony in Athens earlier this week.
Beijing -- set to become the first host of a Summer and Winter Games -- will hold a welcome ceremony for the flame at 10am (0200 GMT) at the capital's Olympic Tower, where it will go on display to the public, before setting off on an exhibition tour.
Around 2,900 athletes, representing approximately 85 National Olympic Committees, will compete in the Winter Games from February 4-20, 2022.
The flame was lit in Athens on Monday and transferred the following day to the organisers of the Beijing Games.
The low-key event was held in front of a limited audience because of the coronavirus, and in a break with tradition, there was no torch relay on Greek soil.
Beijing 2022 organisers have released few details of what they plan, but the IOC has said the flame will go on display to the public at the tower, near the Bird's Nest Stadium which hosted the opening ceremony for the 2008 Games.
"Closer to the Games, a traditional Olympic torch relay will be held," the IOC said this week, with the Games just over 100 days away.
