IOC chief reflects on Beijing's Olympic legacy during museum visit

With the iconic ice-sculptured Olympic rings hung over his head and a replica of the Games torch within his reach, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach felt like he was reliving the stunning opening ceremony of Beijing 2022.

The chief of the international Olympic Movement, during his visit to Beijing's Olympic Museum on Thursday, had a blast from the past as he looked back in admiration at the spectacle and legacies of the summer and winter editions of the Games the Chinese capital has hosted in 2008 and 2022, successively.

"It's great to be back here in the Olympic Museum and to revive so many fond memories of the Beijing 2022 and also Beijing 2008," Bach told reporters after visiting the museum, which is situated south of the National Stadium, aka the "Bird's Nest".

"These were two truly exceptional Olympic Games that China offered to the world. And here you can feel this spirit in this museum, because it brings all these memories to life. It brings the Olympic spirit to life.

"You can see how it is inspiring the young generation, but also the older generation like me. China can be very proud of these two editions of the Olympic Games. Beijing can be very proud of being the one and only city (in the world) of having organized Olympic Winter Games and Summer games," said Bach, who is duo to step down from the high-profile IOC role next month after the completion of his second term.

The museum, which was built in 2009, reopened to the public in February 2024, following a two-year renovation, to commemorate the second anniversary of Beijing successfully hosting the 2022 Winter Games.

Captivated by some intriguing exhibits and immersive high-tech presentations, Bach took a thorough tour across the redecorated museum, chatted with children also visiting the site and tried a few shots at the table tennis simulator before he wrapped up his visit, which went longer than the time he was supposed to spent there.

The German fencing Olympic champion at the 1976 Games, who was elected the IOC's ninth president in September 2013, also attended the opening ceremony of the 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, on Feb 7.

At the conclusion of what appears his last trip to China as the IOC steward, Bach hailed China's contribution to the Olympic Movement again, citing the rich legacy left by the two Games.

"The legacy of the Olympic Games is working," said Bach. "After these Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, winter sport has become so popular in China that we can speak worldwide of a winter sport before Beijing 2022, and much better winter sport after these Olympic Winter Games.

"And this is what a legacy is about that the future generations can benefit from the Olympic Games. And this is an extraordinary display of that here in China."