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On March 25 in Verkhoyansky region the Flame of the IV Children of Asia International Sports Games was lit.
Ancient legends say that the Kihilekh Mountain personifies the union between Mother-Earth and Father-Sky.
The Fire lit here with a sparkle form a flint stone is thought to be granted personally by great Mother-Earth to us, her children – children of the same sky and the same Earth. This Fire symbolizes the energy of two basic substances that create and protect the humankind.
As for modern public, the lighting of the Flame in this sacred place not only heralds the start of the sports forum, but also unites children of the world in their strive for the good and the light, appeals for global action, and proclaims ideas of respect for ancient traditions.
The Games Flame derives from this locality of Yakutia with outstanding natural beauty, lately attracting travellers from all over the world like a magnet. It is not a mere coincidence that the official launch of this junior Olympics, initiated in 1996 by our northern republic, was held simultaneously with the corresponding ceremony in Greek Olympia, commemorating the start of Beijing Olympics.
The organizing authorities in Yakutia have already received greetings and congratulations on the official Games launch from OCR President Leonid Tyagachev, IOC Vice-President and Children of Asia Games’ OC Honorary Chair Vitaly Smirnov, and Head of Federal Agency on Physical Culture and Sports Vyacheslav Fetisov.
By the way, the main Russia’s sports organization man is also the Chair of the Games Organizing Committee. This year is the third time the IOC patronages the Games, which testifies for acknowledgment by global sports community. It is a major contribution from good friends of our republic, promoters of all-Asian junior Olympics, Vitaly Smirnov and Mikhail Tikhomirov.
This colourful ceremony, held following Yakut authentic traditions in every detail, was attended by distinguished guests – OCR Secretary General Yuri Yuriev, ROSSPORT Department Deputy Head Igor Vykhodets, Chair of National and Non-Olympic Sports Committee Mikhail Tikhomirov; the Games local organizers – Republican OC Chair Aleksandr Akimov, Deputy Chair of Government Aleksandr Vlasov, State Sports Committee Chair Mikhail Gulyaev, Deputy Head of President’s and Government’s Administration Ivan Androsov, Head of ISG Directorate Innokenty Grigoryev, Governor of Verkhoyansky Region Victor Pavlov, members of Il Tumen State Assembly; sponsor companies’ directors –Nizhnelenskoe OJSC Vladimir Kychkin and YakutskEnergo JSC Konstantin Ilkovsky; Head of Press and Broadcasting Department Filipp Pestryakov, Executive Director of Bargary Foundation Svetlana Andreyeva, Yakutsk city Vice-Mayor Yuri Bayishev, Deputy Head of Motorway Construction Directorate Ivan Gorokhov and others. An unprecedented large group of TV-reporters from all over the republic was there to provide full coverage of this historic event.
The delegation also included famous traditional medicine woman Fedora Kobyakova – Edjei Dora, future participants of the Games – track-and-field athlete Denis Fedorenko, freestyle wrestlers Semyon Ammosov and Albert Semyonov.
The weather on the Day was beautiful, although it was severely snow-storming just a day before. The sun was at its shiniest, a subtle breeze was whiffing among magnificent megalith rocks at the very top of the mountain, when two helicopters landed here, bringing in the participants of the ceremony.
After blessing of the Mountain Mistress, respectable Elder from the neighbouring village of Elges, surrounded by youths dressed in white and accompanied by Yakut botur athletes, produced the fire. This fire lit the Games Flame, which was handed over to the Pinigin family – Olympic champions Pavel and his wife Maria, and their son Shamil.
It is very meaningful that this athletic family were the first to hold the Flame, as far as this year is the Year of Family in Russia; besides Pavel Pinigin, as we all know, is the Chief Referee of the Games.
Then the Flame was delivered to the city of Verkhoyansk, where hundreds of locals of all ages had already gathered at the main square, decorated with the Pole of Cold symbol – figure of Ox-Cold. Aleksandr Akimov, Yuri Yuriev, and Mikhail Tikhomirov presented their greeting speeches, and then mounted men brought in the Falme.
Our Olympic champions – the Pinigin family; Roman Dmitriev (now Member of Il Tumen State Assembly), and Olympic silver winning Aleksandr Ivanov passed the Flame on to a young athlete from Verkhoyansky Region, student of the Olympic Reserve School, republic’s freestyle wrestling team member at Children of Asia 2008, Semyon Ammosov.
After that delegation took a flight to settlement of Tabalakh, where also a large number of people gathered for Reindeer-herder Day celebration. The guests had a chance to ride the sleigh, enjoy Even folk culture, reindeer races, and famous Verkhoyansky foal- and hare meat dishes. In general, Verkhoyansk Region’s locals deserved the highest appreciation of the Games OC and all the guests, for their organizational skills, creativeness and love for sport.
Then the Games Flame started its long journey. It is going to be carried around all the settlements of the republic in torches, equipped with special gas containers, held by four valiant athletes – Verkhoyansky Region’s local, enthusiastic sportsman, extreme runner Dmitry Gorokhov, Vladimir Torduyanov, Vladimir Nakhodkin, and Vasily Gorbunov.
It will take them a hundred days to cover 5,500 km over vast spaces of Yakutia, visiting 190 settlements and towns. The journey of the Flame will involve thousands of school kids, famous sportspeople, sports veterans, and republic’s team members at all of the destination points.
The Games Flame will fly 20,800 km on planes, and ride 2,400 km by motorways in a specially designed capsule. And finally, on July 4 it will blaze up at Tuymaada Stadium in Yakutsk, announcing the Games open, and proclaiming the triumph of global junior sports.
Children of Asia ICG Directorate Press-Service.
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