2022 Winter Olympics torch relay
{{Short description|none}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox Olympic torch relay|2022|Winter
| logo = File:Beijing 2022 Olympic Torch Relay Emblem.svg
| caption =
| host city = Beijing, China
| countries visited = Greece, China
| distance =
| torch bearers = 1,200
| theme = Welcome to the promise of the land of ice and snow and head towards a better future
| start date = {{start date|df=yes|2021|10|18}}
| end date = {{end date|df=yes|2022|02|04}}
}}
{{2022 Winter Olympics}}
The 2022 Winter Olympics torch relay was run from 18 October 2021 until 4 February 2022. After it was lit in Olympia, Greece, the torch traveled to Athens in a car.[https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/olympics/weather-protest-cloud-beijing-flame-lighting-rehearsal/2021/10/17/01ab4854-2f3a-11ec-8036-7db255bff176_story.html Weather, protest, cloud - Beijing flame-lighting rehearsal]{{Dead link|date=June 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, washingtonpost.com, Sunday, October 17, 2021, and was handed to Beijing on 20 October.{{Cite web |url=https://hoc.gr/en/node/3188 |title=The Olympic flame lighting ceremony for the Beijing 2022 Games will take place on 18 October 2021 |website=Hellenic Olympic Committee |access-date=25 September 2021 |archive-date=25 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210925015543/https://hoc.gr/en/node/3188 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |url=http://www.china.org.cn/sports/2021-09/24/content_77771600.htm |title=2022 Olympic flame to be lit in Greece without spectators |website=www.china.org.cn |access-date=25 September 2021 |archive-date=25 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210925015528/http://www.china.org.cn/sports/2021-09/24/content_77771600.htm |url-status=live }} The Chinese leg ended in Beijing National Stadium, at the end of the opening ceremony. On 20 October 2021, it was announced that the Chinese leg had only three days, following a series of displays of the flame in cities around Beijing. The physical relay started on 2 February, at the morning of the first day of the Chinese New Year as stage 3. Unlike the previous relays (due to health and cost issues), the relay only visited the three venues clusters, the main sights of Beijing and the city of Zhangjiakou.{{cite web|url=https://www.beijing2022.cn/sv1/wog/wap.htm#/20211020003733/20211020003733|title=北京2022年冬奥会火种欢迎仪式在京举行|work=Beijing2022.cn|access-date=20 October 2021|archive-date=18 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818224851/https://www.beijing2022.cn/sv1/wog/wap.htm#/20211020003733/20211020003733|url-status=dead}} The final torch was lit by long-distance runner Dilnigar Ilhamjan (Dinige'er Yilamujiang) and nordic combined Zhao Jiawen.
Relay
Activists staged a protest at the Olympic torch lighting ceremony in Greece.{{cite web |last1=O'Donnell |first1=Noreen |title=Uyghurs, Tibetans, Hong Kongers Join Together to Protest Beijing Olympics |url=https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/national-international/uyghurs-tibetans-hong-kongers-join-together-to-protest-beijing-olympics/2741321/ |website=nbcchicago.com |date=28 January 2022 |publisher=NBC Chicago |access-date=31 January 2022}}
The choice to have Qi Fabao, a People's Liberation Army commander famous for his participation in the 2020–2021 China–India skirmishes, be a torchbearer has been controversial with India launching a diplomatic boycott of the games as a result.{{cite web |last1=Ramachandran |first1=Sudha |title=India Joins Diplomatic Boycott of Beijing Winter Olympics |url=https://thediplomat.com/2022/02/india-joins-diplomatic-boycott-of-beijing-winter-olympics/ |website=thediplomat.com |publisher=The Diplomat |access-date=3 February 2022}}
Route in Greece
{{Location map+|Greece
| width = 450
| float = center
| places =
{{Location map~|Greece|label=Olympia|position=|link=Olympia, Greece|lat_deg=37.638538|lon_deg=21.629954}}
{{Location map~|Greece|label=Athens|position=|link=Athens|lat_deg=37.983886|lon_deg=23.727635}}
| caption =
{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
;October 18
:{{0}}1. Olympia
;October 19
:{{0}}1. Athens
{{div col end}}
}}
Route in China
=Flame display leg (stage 1)=
| class=wikitable
!Division !Route !Map |
| Beijing
|{{Collapsible list|framestyle=border:none; width:400px|titlestyle=background:none; font-weight:normal; text-align:left|bullets=on|title=20 October (day 1): Beijing|Beijing Olympic Tower}} |{{Location map+|China Beijing municipality |width=300 |float=center |caption= |places= {{Location map~|China Beijing municipality|label=1|position=left|link=Beijing Olympic Tower|lat_deg=39.906667|lon_deg=116.3975}} }} |
=Beijing municipal leg (stages 2 and 3)=
{{Location map+|China Beijing municipality
| width = 450
| float = center
| places =
{{Location map~|China Beijing municipality|label=1|position=left|link=Beijing|lat_deg=39.906667|lon_deg=116.3975}}
{{Location map~|China Beijing municipality|label=2|position=left|link=Zhangjiakou|lat_deg=40.769|lon_deg=114.886}}
{{Location map~|China Beijing municipality|label=3|position=left|link=Yanqing District|lat_deg=40.464521|lon_deg=115.980185}}
{{Location map~|China Beijing municipality|label=4|position=left|link=Beijing National Stadium|lat_deg=39.991667|lon_deg=116.390556}}
|caption =
{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
;February 2
:{{0}}1. Beijing
;February 4
:{{0}}3. Yanqing
:{{0}}4. Beijing National Stadium
{{div col end}}
}}
{{Location map+|China Hebei
| width = 450
| float = center
| places =
{{Location map~|China Hebei|label=2|position=left|link=Zhangjiakou|lat_deg=40.769|lon_deg=114.886}}
|caption =
{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
;February 3
:{{0}}2. Zhangjiakou
{{div col end}}
}}
End of Torch Relay
File:2022 Winter Olympics cauldron at Yanqing Winter Olympic Cultural Square (20220219134818).jpg
The relay ended after the 2022 Winter Olympics opening ceremony, when the Olympic Cauldron was lit by Altay Uyghur cross-country skier Dilnigar Ilhamjan, and nordic combined Zhao Jiawen.
After the cauldron in the stadium was lit, the three venues clusters' cauldron was lit right after the end of the opening ceremony.
- Taizicheng Cluster - cauldron located at its central plaza. It was lit by the 19 y.o. free/slopestyle skier Wang Wenzhuo (王文卓) from Zhangjiakou.
- Yanqing Cluster - permanent cauldron located in Yanqing Main Plaza. It was lit by the 10 y.o. short track speed skater Wang Hanyi (王瀚一) from Yanqing, who ranked first place in 500m event at Beijing municipal short track championships.
- Beijing Cluster - The main cauldron is located between the Nation Stadium and the Ice Cube. It was lit by Zhang Junying (张军英), an architect and former olympic cycling racer,she was among the group of designers of the National Stadium project and a volunteer of the 2022 Winter Olympics.