Three Figure Skating Pairs, including Silver and Bronze Medalists, and Coach Receive Awards
TORINO, ITALY, Feb. 25, 2006 -- One day before the closing of the Torino 2006 Olympic Winter Games, the City of Torino, TOROC and the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2008 Olympic Games gathered at the GE Ice Plaza in the heart of Torino's historic city center, to honor the remarkable achievements of Chinese Figure Skating Team and their coach during the Torino Games.
Yao Bin made history in Torino by coaching all three Chinese Figure Skating Teams, which placed 2nd, 3rd, and 4th in Pairs Figure Skating. He is also the only coach to bring three pairs into top six of Figure Skating World Championships simultaneously. Zhang Dan and Zhang Hao, who won the silver medal, Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo who won the bronze, Pang Qing and Tong Jian who placed 4th in Pairs Figure Skating and Liu Yan who competed in Women's Figure Skating also attended the event.
"During the period preceding the Torino 2006 Olympic Winter Games, the City of Torino started to build a closer relationship with the City of Beijing, the host city for the 2008 Olympic Games," said Elda Tessore, Councillor for Olympic Games, Tourism and International Promotion of the City of Torino. "In the spirit of this partnership, we are very pleased to gather at the GE Ice Plaza to celebrate the Olympic spirit these Chinese athletes and their coach brought to our city."
After accepting the City of Torino flag from Ms. Tessore on the ice rink, Yao Bin said, "I'm so proud of the exceptional teams who made their best and am very grateful to the City of Torino and GE to acknowledge it." "We decided not to go back home early because we fell in love with the city. Thank you for creating another memorable experience in the great city of Torino during the Olympic Games."
GE, a Worldwide Olympic Sponsor and an Official Sponsor of Chinese National Figure Skating Team, also awarded an "Honorary Advisor of GE's Shanghai Learning Center" award to Yao Bin for his leadership. In February 2005, GE became the first Official Sponsor of the Chinese National Figure Skating Team and has supported the team in its preparations for the Torino Games.
"GE Ice Plaza is the perfect location to honor the success of the Chinese Figure Skating Team," said Dan Henson, GE's Chief Marketing Officer. "It brings together the relationships GE has developed with the team and the City of Torino and represents the success that comes from teamwork."
Since 2004, GE has been proud to partner with the City of Torino in many ways including the GE Ice Plaza, providing of portable ultrasound systems to public hospitals and upgrading of street lights throughout the historic city center.
Other guests at the event included Sir Philip Craven, IOC member and President of International Paralympic Committee, Madam Yuan Bin, Director of Marketing Department from BOCOG, Liu Jun, Deputy Director of Marketing Department from BOCOG and Ren Hongguo, Vice President of Chinese Skating Association.
About GE and the Olympic Games
As a Worldwide Partner of the Olympic Games, GE is the exclusive provider of a wide range of innovative products and services that are integral to a successful Games. Beginning with the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Torino, Italy, GE's Olympic partnership is the company's first global sports sponsorship at the corporate level in recent years. From providing power, lighting, security and modular space solutions at Olympic venues to supplying ultrasound and MRI equipment to help doctors treat athletes, GE works closely with the Organizing Committees, local municipalities and other Olympic Partners to understand their needs and deliver solutions that only GE can. NBC Universal, a division of GE, is the exclusive U.S. media partner of the Olympic Games. The GE and NBC Universal partnerships extend through 2012.
On the Web: www.ge.com/olympicgames
Deirdre Latour
GE Corporate, Senior Director External Communications
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Greg Farrett
GE Corporate Executive Director - Communications
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Geoff Li
Geoff Li
GE Global Operations
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