A total of 195 torchbearers carried the Olympic flame through the streets of Omsk and both banks of the Irtysh, covering a distance of 43.9 km. Among the Olympic torchbearers were the nominees of the Sochi 2014 Torch Relay Presenting Partners: Coca-Cola, OSAO "Ingosstrakh" and OAO "Russian Railways."
As soon the Sochi 2014 Olympic Torch Relay corporate train No. 701 arrived at the railway station in Omsk, it was ceremoniously greeted on the platform by the deputy chairman of the regional government Yury Gamburg and the Mayor Omsk Vyacheslav Dvorakovsky. The station square of the city was the starting point for the first torchbearer, honoured master of sport in boxing and winner of gold medals of the Olympic Games in Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008, Aleksey Tishchenko.
Following a predetermined route, the Olympic Torch Relay visited the Olympic reserve rhythmic gymnastics training center. During the last decade, the Center has trained famous Russian gymnasts who have won many Olympic medals: Irina Chashchina, Evgenia Kanaeva, Margarita Aliychuk and Ksenia Dudkina. It was Ksenia Dudkina, winner of the gold medal in the first Youth Olympic Games in Singapore and champion of the Olympic Games in London, who carried the symbol of the upcoming Winter Games in Sochi through her native territory of the rhythmic gymnastics center. Pupils of the center welcomed her with tumultuous cries and colourful Olympic rings, especially prepared for the Relay.
On day 63 of the Olympic Torch Relay, torchbearers included famous athletes, participants of the Olympic Games and international championships, as well as cultural and social activists, doctors and teachers.
The Relay route passed through sports centers that are preparing future Olympic champions: the Blinov Sport and Concert Complex, Ekspotsentr, "Arena Omsk" Sports Complex, "Avangard" stadium sports center, and "Krasnaya Zvezda" sports complex. The route also touched iconic landmarks that every resident of Omsk is proud of: The Fifth Drama Theater, the ancient city arch, the Cossack Nikolsky Cathedral, Harlequin Puppet Theater and the Holy Assumption Cathedral.
One stage of the Olympic Torch Relay was taken by Askold Zapashny, representative of the world-famous circus dynasty, People's Artist of Russia, and head of the Great Moscow State Circus.
The last yards of the 11-hour section of the Sochi 2014 Relay on the streets of Omsk were run by Vladimir Barnashov, Olympic Winter Games Champion in 1980 in the biathlon and the country's biathlon team coach. On stage at the Cathedral Square, he lit the Olympic Cauldron with his torch, which as was presented to the city by Relay Presenting Partner OSAO "Ingosstrakh" on the previous day.
The next town to host the Sochi 2014 Olympic Torch Relay will be Tyumen.
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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