Olympic flame arrives in Sochi as Putin says security a major concern
- 10 years ago
The Olympic flame has arrived in Sochi after a four-month journey that saw it travel more than 60,000 kilometres, taking in the North Pole and even a trip unlit into space.
The torchbearers arrived on stage and transferred the flame to a miner’s lamp.
The Winter Games officially start on Friday with the opening ceremony.
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the athletes’ village in the company of double Olympic pole vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva.
His immediate focus was on the threat from terrorism.
“We remember tragic situations which happened in the past during international competitions, including the one in the United States during the marathon. It’s all quite recent,” Putin said.
He also mentioned other attacks including the London bombings in 2005 which happened while the G8 was taking place in Scotland.
The president told the Russian Olympic team that “hundreds, thousands, millions” of fans would be following them.
Others will be watching more than sporting performances.
Journalists have arrived in Sochi to find their hotel in a questionable condition…
Abroad, gay rights activists have been holding a day of protests over Russia’s laws on homosexuality.
The torchbearers arrived on stage and transferred the flame to a miner’s lamp.
The Winter Games officially start on Friday with the opening ceremony.
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the athletes’ village in the company of double Olympic pole vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva.
His immediate focus was on the threat from terrorism.
“We remember tragic situations which happened in the past during international competitions, including the one in the United States during the marathon. It’s all quite recent,” Putin said.
He also mentioned other attacks including the London bombings in 2005 which happened while the G8 was taking place in Scotland.
The president told the Russian Olympic team that “hundreds, thousands, millions” of fans would be following them.
Others will be watching more than sporting performances.
Journalists have arrived in Sochi to find their hotel in a questionable condition…
Abroad, gay rights activists have been holding a day of protests over Russia’s laws on homosexuality.