The Olympic Torch Relay has arrived in the Altai republic. 70 torchbearers carried the Olympic flame along the streets of Gorno-Altaisk. The Torch Relay route covered 16.7 km. Among the Olympic torchbearers were nominees of the Presenting Partners of the Sochi 2014 Torch Relay: the Coca-Cola Company, OSAO "Ingosstrakh" and OAO "Russian Railways".
Residents of Gorno-Altaisk met the Olympic flame by the city entrance, marked with the "Altai Republic" stele. The head of the region Alexander Berdnikov greeted the keepers of the Flame on Altai soil. The first torchbearer, Ivan Nemtsev, a celebrated strongman and repeated world champion in kettlebell lifting, gave the start to the Torch Relay. Covering his distance with the Torch in hand, he passed the Relay to Madie Kalanakov, distinguished coach of Russia and master of sports in Greco-Roman wrestling. The athlete rode on horseback for his Olympic 600 meters. The next torchbearer in Gorno-Altaisk was Igor Levitin, aid to the President of the Russian Federation, Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Russian Table Tennis Federation, and honorary citizen of the Altai republic. He received the Olympic flame next to the ceremonial complex "Golden Gates", a symbol of unity for Turkish peoples.
The Sochi 2014 Olympic Torch Relay continued along the main waterway of the region, the Katun River, beginning from the southern slopes of the highest Siberian mountain, Belukha. The torchbearers were members of the men's rafting team of Gorno-Altaisk State University. Drifting along the river, they passed the Olympic Flame to young women from the women's "Altai-raft" team.
The rafting torchbearers passed the Sochi 2014 Torch Relay to skiing torchbearers: from the slope of the "Manzherok" ski complex, situated at a height of 1,012 meters in the surroundings of mountain peaks, the Olympic flame descended on snowdrifts, skis and sleighs.
The next phase of the Sochi 2014 Torch Relay took place in the town of Mayma, one of the largest settlements in Russia that does not have city status, and it gradually moved to the streets of Gorno-Altaisk. The torchbearers carried the Olympic flame by Victory Park, main city streets, and the "Spartak" stadium. The main participants in the Olympic procession were famous residents of the city: sambo wrestler Sergey Atkunov and Ezher Enchinov, the republic's overall champion in kurash wrestling. The Olympic torch arrived at the main city square in the hands of the final torchbearer, Menunchi Yaitakov, distinguished sambo coach of Russia. He lit the City Cauldron, a gift to the city from Presenting Partner of the Torch Relay, OSAO "Ingosstrakh". The evening continued with a performance of the Sochi 2014 Torch Relay Anthem and the "Olympic Dance", which were audience favorites, and bright fireworks.
The Olympic Torch Relay will visit the capital of the Altai region Barnaul.
For more information contact:Sochi 2014 Olympic Torch Relay Communications Service
sochi2014.com | OGON@sochi2014.com | +7 495 984 2014
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