Finishing touches applied as Games organizers strive for perfection

With slopes being manicured and medal ceremonies rehearsed, Beijing is putting the finishing touches to its preparations for the Winter Olympics and Paralympics.

A month out from the opening ceremony, organizers are busy fine-tuning operational details, finessing the competition zones, and optimizing COVID-19 protocols to welcome nearly 3,000 athletes to the Chinese capital.

As the only snow sports venue in Beijing's downtown area, the Shougang Big Air ramp began a slope-shaping operation on Sunday, having made enough snow since early December to cover its 160-meter-long structure.

To provide ideal slope conditions－from the drop-off to the kicker to the landing area－four international experts are working with local staff to pack multiple layers of snow into flat, firm surfaces that allow skiers and snowboarders to gain enough speed to perform their high-flying tricks.

The process, which involves a snowcat moving up and down the slope, is expected to be completed by the beginning of next month in time for the venue's first official event of the Games, the women's freeski big air qualification round on Feb 7.

Chinese freestyle skier Gu Ailing is set to launch her bid for multiple Olympic golds at the Shougang ramp, while local snowboard prodigy Su Yiming will also challenge the world's best in his Games debut at the impressive new venue.

"Our team will ensure that the position and angle of the takeoff platform are shaped properly to offer athletes the perfect trajectory in order to perform their tricks, and for them to land safely on the right spot down the slope," said Han Bo, a deputy director of competition for the venue's operation team.

Similar tune-ups are also underway at all the other 11 competition venues across three zones－downtown Beijing, its northwest Yanqing district and co-host Zhangjiakou, Hebei province－based on feedback from 10 international test events staged late last year.

Meanwhile, Chinese organizers have been pressing ahead with final preparations for ceremonies, logistics, registration and marketing.

On New Year's Eve, the Beijing 2022 organizing committee unveiled the presentation ceremony elements, including the podium design, the medal tray, bouquets and costumes.

The presentation ceremonies are themed as "Ice and Snow, Glory and Honor", and will feature a combination of traditional Chinese etiquette and athletes' noble pursuit for excellence, according to Gao Tian, deputy director of Beijing 2022's culture and ceremonies department.

"A medal ceremony is the highlight of an athlete's experience at the Olympics and we are committed to ensuring the presentation in Beijing will be a lifelong memory for medal winners, with respect and sincere congratulations," she said.

Made from eco-friendly materials, the podiums for the Games, painted in sky blue, adopt a simple modular structure to facilitate reassembly from individual to team events. The surface is covered with an anti-skid mat to accommodate ski boots and skates.

The medal tray resembles an open book, signifying a new chapter in China's friendship with the rest of the world. The tray surface is covered by a non-slip silicone pad to prevent the medals and gifts from sliding off.

Three sets of red-and-blue volunteer uniforms were also unveiled, and feature design elements similar to traditional Chinese costume.

Cloud patterns－the main visual element of the 2008 Summer Games and symbolizing luck－feature heavily on the medal ceremony costumes.

In order to implement the concept of sustainability, the floral presentation bouquets will be knitted from cashmere, instead of using real flowers. They can therefore be preserved long after the Games and become "everlasting Olympic memories" for athletes, said Gao.