The 2022 Winter Olympics was already a talking point for the world as the host country China was putting up such a large scale event in the midst of an ongoing pandemic. But there are many other reasons behind the event going viral. Read on ...
The Fake Snow Extravaganza
Since the past few decades, the International Olympics Committee (IOC) has been encouraging countries to use fake snow in order to make the event sustainable. However, for the first time, a country is using 100% fake snow across all the 17 venues where the tournament will be held. Reports say that the Chinese capital is using an estimated 49 million gallons of water for the fake snow - that could fill 74 Olympic-sized pools along with 100 snow generators and 300 snow-making guns.
Fresh and New Events
The entire 17-day game season consists of 109 events spread across 15 sporting disciplines, including biathlon, bobsleigh, curling, ice hockey, luge, skating, and skiing. The 2022 Winter Games will feature seven new events. In an attempt to encourage gender equality, there had been an initiative taken by the International Olympics Committee (IOC) to start mixed gendered games with the Tokyo Summer Olympics. China has followed suit, by starting the games with the first-ever mixed teamed winter game teams for sports like short-track speed skating, snowboarding and ski jumping. Mixed team events like snowboard cross relay, freestyle skiing aerials, and short track speed skating relay will see more women competing. The monobob is a brand new event only for women. Local travellers from mainland China can opt to go and watch these new events after fulfilling the Covid-19 guidelines.
The Mascot Story
Bing Dwen Dwen is an ice panda selected to be the Official Mascot of China for the Olympics. He wears an ice-based full-body shell that mimics an astronaut suit, as a tribute to appreciating new technology for a limitless future. The panda can also skate, snowboard, and ski alongside Olympic athletes thanks to the shell. The dazzling colours of the halo around its face signify the most sophisticated technologies used on the ice and snow sports courses at the Winter Olympics, while the heart on its left hand represents China's hospitality to athletes and fans. The word 'bing' has numerous meanings in Mandarin Chinese (China's official dialect), the most prevalent of which is 'ice'. The word also denotes purity and power, whereas 'Dwen Dwen' translates to 'vigorous and vivacious'.
An Array Of Robots
Beijing is trying to subtly showcase its inclination towards modern technology, be it their official mascot or the array of hundreds of robots that are filling the Olympic Village, helping to keep the distance between visiting athletes and local employees by doing anything from delivering gifts to turning burgers. Robots will also help out with athlete medical care, rubbish collection, and hand sanitiser dispensing. There's more. COVID-19 particles will be detected in the air by roving robots, which will then disinfect the rooms. In the media area canteen, a fleet of 120 catering robots is available to serve food 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For tourists in mainland China, the robots are functioning outside the bubble area as well and hence, one can taste the flavour of tech-savvy Beijing even while staying outside the periphery of the games.
Indian Small Businesses at the Olympics
For fans of canoeing and bobsleighing events, a little trivia about the equipment used for this year's Olympics. Small companies from Ahmedabad and Pune have supplied roving boats and canoes for water sports events. Not only is the act an opportunity for neighbouring countries to generate gains from the international event, but it also provides scope for the host country to outsource specialisation from startups like By Air and Skytech Solutions (tech based companies from India) for welcoming the players, media personnel and incoming tourists through accurate airport management.
The Beijing&ndashZhangjiakou Intercity Railway
While most of the events will be held in Beijing, the alpine events will take place in the cities of Zhangshanying and Zhangjiakou. Zhangshanying will host the luge, skeleton, bobsleigh, and alpine skiing competitions. The Jingzhang Intercity Railway Company has constructed the Beijing&ndashZhangjiakou intercity railway for the commute. The world's first driverless high-speed railway opened in 2019 and cut travel time between the two cities from over three hours to less than 50 minutes.
