Beijing gears up for 2022 Winter Games
By Wu Guoxiu
["china"]
China's Olympic dream doesn't stop, even as this year's Games have concluded. The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics will be held across three areas, making use of 26 venues, mostly rebuilt from the ones used during the 2008 Summer Games.
Organizers are looking to inspire a green and environmental-friendly event. "Our Wukesong Sports Center was the basketball venue for the 2008 Summer Olympics. We can change it to a standard ice hockey stadium in six hours. And we can change it back within 6 hours after that,” said Chang Yu, publication chief of the Beijing Organizing Committee for 2022 Olympics and Paralympic Winter Games, while introducing the progress in PyeongChang.
Beijing Mayor Chen Jining waves the Olympic flag during the closing ceremony of the PyeongChang 2018 Games, Sunday night. /Agencies Photo

Beijing Mayor Chen Jining waves the Olympic flag during the closing ceremony of the PyeongChang 2018 Games, Sunday night. /Agencies Photo

Since winning the bid in 2015, organizers in Beijing have been building new venues, railway links, and a highway, to connect Beijing with Yanqing County and Zhangjiakou City – co-host locations of the event. Some venues for the Beijing Games are already being used for international sporting events. More people have also expressed enthusiasm with certain winter sports, such as skiing. With excitement already growing, many expect the 2022 Games to outshine previous editions.
"I'm a ski-enthusiast. I used to go to the Beijing suburbs or Zhangjiakou to ski. I think the Winter Olympics can help make winter sports more popular," said Yao Wang, a Beijing resident.
Fan Shutian, also from Beijing, said, "I think the Beijing 2022 Winter Games will be better than the ones in South Korea. Why? Because our country is larger and stronger. Besides, our athletes keep training and growing up. We might get more gold medals next time."
When the Olympics make it to Beijing in 2022, it's widely expected that the Games will boost China's winter sports culture and public interests. And with fond memories of the 2008 Beijing Games, many Chinese are anticipating how Beijing will present its own unique version of the Winter Games.