The flags representing the Olympic and Paralympic Movements were delivered to Sochi via a specially-2014 branded mini-train from Adler, accompanied by the Mayor of Sochi Anatoly Pakhomov and Sochi 2014 President and chief executive Dmitry Chernyshenko along with several medallists from the Olympics and Paralympics in Vancouver.

Among the athletes attending the ceremony was Nikita Kriukov, winner of the individual cross-country skiing in Vancouver, and Anna Bogaliy-Titovets, who won a gold medal in biathlon at the Olympics.

Also several members of Russia's successful Paralympic team, including Irek Zaripov, who won four gold medals, and Nikolay Polukhin, winner of a record six medals, including one gold at the Games in Whistler, which ended on Sunday and where Pakhomov collected the International Paralympic Committee flag.

Medvedev said: "The Olympics will take considerable effort…but we will do everything to make the 2014 Winter Games one of the most memorable events of the century."

Both flags were handed over to marines and coast guards on the Sochi City Hall square.

Then, to the sounds of the Olympic and Paralympic hymns, the flags were raised by Kriukov and Zaripov, who are Sochi 2014 ambassadors.

Chernyshenko said: "Today marks a historic moment when Sochi became the keeper of the main symbols of the Olympic and Paralympic Movements.

"We are next!



"Now, the most crucial and difficult stage of preparation stands before us.

"Our presentations during the Handover Ceremonies of the Olympic and Paralympic flags became bright and memorable events.

"The entire world now is expecting us to stage an outstanding Games in 2014 and we have set this goal for ourselves in the outset.

"We are going towards it with confident steps.”

The Olympic and Paralympic flags will be kept in the Sochi Administration building and will be raised on special occasions, including the International Olympic Day and the anniversary of Sochi’s victory in the battle for the right to host the 2014 Winter Games. 

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