The Paraolympic Torch relay in Moscow. President of the ASTOM Vyacheslav Sukhanov participated in the torch relay.
The Paraolympic Torch relay in Moscow. President of the ASTOM Vyacheslav Sukhanov participated in the torch relay.
The Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games are a major international multi-sport event for athletes with disabilities governed by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), currently being held in Sochi, Russia from 7–16 March 2014.
The torch relay of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games started on 26 of February. The Olympic torch was lit at the Dezhnev point and arrived at Sochi Fisht stadium on the day of the opening ceremony, 7 of March.
The Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games approved 1500 torchbearers from 8 Federal districts of Russia. Over 4 000 volunteers took part in the torch relay.
The 10 days Torch journey passed 46 cities of different Russian regions. For the first time the torch relay went through Stoke Mandeville, Buckinghamshire, which is the motherland of the Paralympic games and where the first games for people with musculoskeletal system disabilities were established by the British Professor Sir Ludwig Guttmann.
The Sochi 2014 the Paralympic Torch Relay was presented by Coca-Cola, OSAO "Ingosstrakh", and OAO "Russian Railways Company".
The Torch relay in Moscow took place on 2 of March. The 21 km route began at 10.00 at the All-Russian Exhibition Centre passing the State Moscow University on Vorobievy Hills, Kievsky railway station, Europa Square finally reaching Luzhniki where the Paralympic cauldron was lit. 120 torchbearers took part in the relay.
The first torchbearer was a paralympic swimmer with musculoskeletal system problems Andrei Metsherekov. He is a prize winner of several World and European championships as well as a repeated champion of Russia.
The ASTOM's president and Chairman of the Coordination Committee of Russian public organizations of ostomy patients Vyacheslav Sukhanov had a great honour to be a torchbearer: " I'm very pleased that I had a high honour to carry the Paralympic torch. The Olympic fire is a symbol of the fortitude of the human spirit, triumph of light, hope and life over gloom and death. I carried the sacred torch with deep faith in the abilities, resources and strength of the human spirit, enabling and encouraging a man to overcome any obstacles and to be optimistic."
The shape of the Paralympic Torch is similar to the shape of the Olympic torch and is due to the unity of the spirit of competition. In both cases it is a symbol of commitment to the pinnacle of spiritual and physical perfection. The difference is in the color of the handle elements and the central space. Sky blue color symbolizes purity of mind and strength of spirit of the Paralympians.
The design of the torches was developed by the creative design team under the guidance of Vladimir Pirozhkov and Andrey Vodyanik. The torch weighs about 1.8 kg, its height is 0,95 m, width is 0,145 m (at the widest point), thickness is 0.054 m. Weight and center of gravity are designed and matched for maximum ease of use while running.
The torch is one of the main attributes of the Paralympic Games. The torch of "Sochi 2014" represents the Russian hospitality, joyful and inspiring atmosphere of competitions, as well as barrier-free environment that is inherent by the capital of the Paralympic Winter Games.
The Celebration Cauldrons are set to be produced and are installed in all of the cities hosting end of day celebrations along the route of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Torch Relay.
The concept behind the Cauldron echoes that of the Olympic Torch, and was designed in an identical style. The color of the Cauldron is bright red and silver: cold 'ice' sparkles in the sunlight and is topped off with a warm, dark scarlet 'flame'.
The Celebration Cauldron for Sochi 2014 was developed by a team of famous Russian designers and engineers. The details of the cauldron are covered in ultra-glossy dyes featuring deep red color. The basic color is light-silver "chrome", and the finish - low-dispersion matte.
The white-blue paralympic uniform was designed by BOSCO company, the general partner of the Sochi 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The Olympic patchwork quilt concept is preserved. The coat has an Agitos emblem of the Paraolympic games on the back. The Paralympic symbol consists of three agitos, coloured red, blue and green, the three colours that are most widely represented in national flags around the world. The agito ("I move" in Latin) is a symbol of movement in the shape of an asymmetrical crescent.
