Delegates from NOC, NPC praise Beijing's 2022 preparations

BEIJING - Delegates from the National Olympic Committee and National Paralympic Committee praised Beijing 2022's preparations at the first NOC/NPC Open Day Event here on Tuesday, as organizers emphasized the Games' athlete-centered concept.

A total of 61 delegates from 22 National Olympic Committees, seven National Paralympic Committees and the International Paralympic Committee joined the four-day event, helping to provide the organizing committee with valuable feedback and expertise.

Zhang Jiandong, executive vice president of Beijing 2022, emphasized the continuous efforts to keep its athlete-centered concept at its core during its preparations.

"We have received visits from 27 National Olympic Committees and Paralympic Committees and we plan to host four Open Day Events to improve efficiency," Zhang said. "With the first test event scheduled for February 2020, Games preparations have entered a new phase, with the focus shifting to operational readiness, it is very crucial for us to know the needs of each delegation and make further improvements to our relevant policies."

"We hope delegates can have an in-depth understanding of the preparations as well as the level of policies and services in the relevant functional areas. We will strive to provide quality services to all delegations while reasonably controlling the cost of the Games."

An Alpine Skiing World Cup event will be held next February in Beijing's Yanqing District, serving as the first test event for the 2022 Games.

On the first of the Open Day Event, delegates looked at the progress being made in all areas, and are also set to visit venues and villages in the Beijing, Yanqing and Zhangjiakou competition zones.

Lynn Wentland, Director of Games Operations from the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, said that the Games appeared to be extremely well-organized and executed due to the preparation work of the organizing committee.

Hwang Sang-woo, IPC Membership Engagement Co-ordinator, also believed in the success of Beijing 2022. "China has already successfully organized the Summer Olympics in 2008. Building on that, I don't doubt the coming Beijing 2022 will be much more successful."