Volunteers boost preparedness for Beijing 2022

The competitions of the Asian Open Figure Skating Trophy 2021 recently came to a close at Beijing’s 53-year-old Capital Gymnasium. The events also marked the all-element test of the venue for figure skating events to be held during the 2022 Winter Olympics Games in Beijing.

Representatives of the volunteers attend the launching ceremony of the global recruitment of volunteers for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 5, 2019. (Xinhua/Peng Ziyang)

Volunteer services, an important source of support for the Games, were also tested during the events. By strictly following the procedures and standards established for the Games, volunteers earnestly carried out their duties to make sure the test events went smoothly, according to Ding Liting, manager of the volunteers’ group with the operation team at the Capital Gymnasium, who is also deputy director of the continuous education department with Renmin University based in Beijing.

Renmin University is a main source of volunteers who will support events to be held at the Capital Gymnasium during the 2022 Winter Olympics Games, said Ding. Since December 2020, Ding has been in “Olympics” mode, having been occupied with a range of responsibilities including recruiting, managing, and training volunteers, as well as work associated with team building, guaranteeing the welfare of volunteers and publicizing the events.

He Yalin, a 22-year-old volunteer from Renmin University who has been serving at test events since April, said she was on a tight schedule during the test events. Her job includes providing logistical support for the volunteers, taking epidemic prevention and control measures and taking care of the welfare of the volunteers, among other things. Renmin University had drawn up a timetable for the students so that they could balance providing volunteer services and keeping up with their academic studies.

Huang Zhenxiang, manager of the volunteer service for the National Snowmobile and Sled Center and deputy director of the department of student affairs under the Party branch of China Agricultural University, said that before they serve at the test events, all volunteers must attend training classes, which were held both online and offline, to gain theoretical knowledge and practical skills. “We aim to cultivate versatile volunteers who can not only support athletes but also undertake work such as publicity, epidemic prevention and control, and voluntary work in sports and culture,” Huang explained.

The National Snowmobile and Sled Center is the venue where competitions for three types of snow sports will take place during the 2022 Winter Olympics Games in Beijing. The national snowmobile and sled center track located inside the venue has a total length of 1,975 meters and a 360-degree roundabout. “When I first looked down the track from its starting point, I thought it was really impressive when I learned that it has a vertical drop of 120 meters,” said Lyu Chuanhan, a postgraduate student with China Agricultural University. After repeatedly studying the blueprint of the track and visiting it, Lyu and other volunteers gradually became familiar with the venue.

“These days, we’re very familiar with all the 16 curves with different inclinations along the track, and can tell each other’s locations when we work along the track,” said Lyu.