Story by Vivian Bangamu
This Monday, the flame for the Harbin 2025 Asian Winter Games was lit at the Sun Island Scenic Area in Harbin City, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, with 0nly 18 days to go before the opening of the Games.
Nine flame collectors guarded the torch, symbolizing the ninth edition of the Games, before it was collected.
The flame, which was ignited by the sun’s rays through an artificial ice lens, was then presented to the public by Xu Qin, head of the Heilongjiang Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China.
After the display, Xu handed over the torch to flame guards who transferred the flame to a flame lantern, which represents that the torch relay is about to start in the coming days.
An online torch relay was also launched during the flame collection event.
Harbin last hosted the games in 1996, making this year the second timed they will host the Games.
According to the recently released competition schedule, ice hockey and curling events will begin early, on the third and fourth of February, respectively, while the overall schedule will take place over 12 days.
Meanwhile, the first gold medal event is scheduled on the morning of the eighth of February.
The games are running under the theme “Dream of Winter, Love Among Asians”, so far 1 275 restarted athlete have been received, with 755 men and 520 women from 34 regions and countries across Asia.
