The official welcome for the Sochi 2014 Olympic Flame has taken place on Red Square in Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who lit the Flame basin from fire of the Olympic torch, marked the start of the first stage of the Olympic Torch Relay.
Ten torchbearers ran with the Sochi 2014 Olympic Flame around the grounds of Moscow's Kremlin, supported by Sochi 2014 Olympic Torch Relay Presenting Partners Coca-Cola, OSAO "Ingosstrakh" and OAO "RZD."
The Olympic Flame was delivered to Russia by a delegation headed by Dmitry Kozak, Russian Federation Government Deputy of the Chairman, Dmitry Chernyshenko, Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee President, and Lydia Skoblikova, the six-time Olympic champion and legendary Russian athlete. They were met at the airport by the Torch Relay motorcade, decorated in Sochi 2014’s reckoned vibrant orange patchwork quilt design, which transported the delegation to Red Square.
At the heart of the capital, the motorcade was greeted with a concert with performances including the Todes ballet, Pyatnitsky choir, Hammers drummer show, Alexandrov Dance Ensemble and Vozrozhdeniye ballet.
The delegation carrying the Sochi 2014 Olympic Flame was ceremonially greeted by the Presidential Regiment. From the gates of Spasskaya Tower, soldiers created a corridor of flags from the 83 regions of Russia in the order that they will receive the Olympic Flame. Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin walked along this route in the company of Sochi 2014 volunteers to accept the torch. Coming onto the stage, President Putin accepted the Olympic Lamp from Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee President Dmitry Chernyshenko and lit the Olympic Cauldron.
The first torchbearers of the Kremlin stage, junior figure skaters Lina Fedorova and Maxim Miroshkin, lit the Torch from the Flame Basin together with the President. Completing their section of the Relay along the corridor of flags up to the Kremlin's Cathedral Square, the athletes passed the Flame to Alexey Ashapatov, a record-holder from the Paralympic Games, world track and field champion, and top discus champion of Europe.
On the Kremlin’s Ivanovskaya Square, the Olympic Torch was received by Daniel Kharitonov, a 14-year-old piano virtuoso and winner of international music competitions. Prima ballerina and People's Artist of Russia Diana Vishneva ran with the Olympic Torch along the bridge from the Troitskaya Tower. The next torchbearer was seven-time USSR swimming champion, world record-holder and Honored Master of Sports of Russia, Shavarsh Karapetyan. Completing the leg of the Relay along Mokhovaya Street, he passed the Flame to bobsleigh athlete Irina Skvortsova.
Along Malenkaya Square up to Alexandrovsky Garden, the Olympic Flame was carried by Andrey Ulyanov, a driver for the Moscow metro who was awarded with the "Order of Service" medal. At Alexandrovsky Garden, next to the Great Victory symbol of the Eternal Flame, the Flame – Olympic Games symbol was received by Boris Runov, Russian national hero and Honored Worker of Science and Technology.
By the grotto "Ruin" in the upper part of Alexandrovsky Garden, the Olympic Torch was received by Olesya Pokrovskaya, a 15-year-old student awarded with a medal for saving a woman's life in the Azov Sea. Torchbearer Ivan Nechaev, a military pilot who was awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation for courage and valor displayed while piloting an aircraft damaged in battle, completed the Relay stage inside the grounds of Moscow's Kremlin.
The Sochi 2014 Olympic Torch Relay will continue in Moscow on October 7 and 8. In total, 593 torchbearers will run through the capital across 77 kilometers. The route will go along main streets and the banks of the Moscow River. The Torch Relay celebrations will take place in Gorky Park, Vorobyev Mountains, the Luzhniki Stadium and Europe Square. The capital’s celebration of the Olympic Torch Relay will be completed with the Moscow International Festival "Circle of Light" on Red Square.
For more information contact:Press Service for the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee
sochi2014.com | media@sochi2014.com | +7 495 984 2014
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