All Asian Games 2010 medals arrive in Guangzhou

All Asian Games 2010 medals arrive in Guangzhou

Guangzhou, October 17 - A total of 3,989 medals for the upcoming November 12 - 27 Asian Games escorted by 10 armed police officers from Shanghai arrived in the host city Guangzhou on Saturday morning.

Upon the arrival in Guangzhou East Railway Station after a 15-hour journey by train, Asian Games medals were transferred to and kept at the vault of Guangzhou Sui Bao Escorts & Convoy Company. As scheduled, they will be dispatched to Games competition venues by the end of October.

It took the Guangzhou Asian Organsing Committee (GAGOC) nearly three years to see the delivery of Games medals themed Haishang Silu, or "Maritime Silk Road" from a solicitation campaign to the final production.

During Games-time, 476 victory ceremonies are going to be held in 42 competition venues and a total of 3,989 medals (scheduled) are required. Besides, a number of spare ones (10 percent of scheduled ones) are also made in case of dead heats during the Games.

Spare medals will be kept in the vault until a dead heat finish occurs. Then Guangzhou Sui Bao Escorts & Convoy Company will be in charge of its delivery to the competition venue immediately.

Wu Zhaogang, an official from GAGOC Ceremonies & Cultural Events Department, said all of the 3,989 medals are packed in 72 boxes; it requires a special tool to open the box; and once the box is opened, it can not be sealed and reused for the sake of security. "We are trying our best to ensure the safety of medals during the delivery and it shows our respect to the sacred duly of the Games medals," added Wu.

The Olympic Council of Asia, in compliance of OCA Chapter, will monitor the awarding of Asian Games medals and retrieve spare ones when the Games close.

(Zhu Runfang)

Source: GAGOC