Li Xinggang, torchbearer of the "Double Olympics": Personal luck stems from the opportunities of the times

"I feel extremely honored to be the torchbearer of the Summer Olympics and then the Winter Olympics, but I also feel very lucky." Li Xinggang, 52, chief architect of the China Academy of Architectural Design and Research, completed the 135th baton relay in Beijing's Olympic Forest Park.

As the host of the "Bird's Nest" project design of the National Stadium of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and the chief designer of the main venues of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, Li Xinggang has a deep relationship with the Olympic Games. In 2008, he held aloft a torch in Greece, along the city streets of Athens, and participated in the torch relay before the handover ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Torch.

Today, 14 years later, when Li Xinggang raised the torch again, it was already in the Beijing Olympic Forest Park to welcome the upcoming Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. "Although I have been dealing with the Olympic Games all these years, I am still very excited when I am officially notified by the Beijing Winter Olympic Organizing Committee to become a torchbearer." He sighed.

The last time the torch was passed in Athens was in the urban street environment, and this time in the Beijing relay, it was in the Olympic Forest Park, which is a process from the urban environment to the natural environment. Coincidentally, the "Bird's Nest" that Li Xinggang participated in designing is a stadium in the city, and this Winter Olympics, as the chief planner of the Yanqing Competition Area and the chief designer of the main venues such as the National Bobsleigh Center and the National Alpine Ski Center, he has been fighting in the natural environment for a long time.

Li Xinggang's biggest sigh is that he is very lucky to be able to participate in the construction of the Shuang'ao Project, "It is the historic opportunities brought by the country and the times that will bring this kind of personal luck." ”

"I hope that through the Beijing Winter Olympics, we can present a safe, simple, wonderful and unforgettable Winter Olympic Games to the world." Li Xinggang expects that the relatively unpopular ice and snow sports such as alpine skiing and bobsleigh, which were not familiar to the Chinese public in the past, can be publicized and promoted through the Winter Olympics, so that more and more people can participate in it, so that the Winter Olympic venues can continue to play their role.

"Our Winter Olympic venues have been tested by international certification and a number of international testing activities and competitions, and all aspects are highly evaluated, and the current status of the venues is very good." For the upcoming Winter Olympics, Li Xinggang is full of confidence. However, he also said that the ultimate test is still the official operation of the events and activities of the Winter Olympic Games, and the operation guarantee of the venues can still not be relaxed.

Reporter Sun Jie Intern Yu Meilin

(Beijing Evening News)