Yanqing—An elegant and state-of-the art Yanqing Olympic Athletes Village in northwest Beijing awaits Asa Bisquera Miller upon his arrival on Monday.
Chef de Mission Bones Floro and Athletes Welfare Officer Joebert Yu inspected the two-bedroom Team Philippines’ section at the residential cluster five, four-storey complex, where Miller, his father Kelly and Philippine Ski Snowboard Federation President Jim Apelar will be staying for the next three weeks.
Floro, tasked by Philippine Olympic Committee President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino to oversee Miller’s campaign, gave the facility a thumbs-up.
“I agree with my fellow chief chiefs of mission that the Olympic Village is excellent. It’s new, well designed and built well,” Floro said. “All the facilities are first [rate]. I am confident that Asa [Miller] and all his fellow Olympians will be very comfortable during their stay.”
The cavernous mess hall, Floro said, offers hundreds of varieties of food, from Asian, Halal, Western and European and, of course, Chinese. The Main Media Center, meanwhile, is a high-ceiling structure with robots roaming the restaurants to serve food to the media.
And because the Athletes’ Village is in a bubble, everything the delegations need are available—including banks, self-service laundry, business centers, general and merchandise stores, telecom and newstands, among others.
“All the COVID-19 countermeasures were clearly explained, disseminated and followed,” Floro said. “The organizing committee has been extremely consistent with their protocols. I am very happy and safe that everyone abides by them,” he added.
The National Alpine Skiing Centre perched on top of Xiaohaituo Mountain is linked with a cable car system. It takes 30 minutes to complete the 10.14-km ride from the Olympic Village. Each cable car can carry up to eight people.
Yanqing will also host the luge and bobsleigh events.
The Beijing Olympic Village in Chaoyang District is the main village, while Yanqing and the Zhangjiakou Olympic Village are the sub-villages.