"This was a memorable legacy moment for me," he said following his leg.

Kim was formerly Governor of Gangwon Province and led Pyeongchang's unsuccessful bids to host the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics before the South Korean city were finally awarded them by the International Olympic Committee at its Session in Durban in July 2011. 

"The successful hosting of the Sochi Olympic Winter Games will have significant influence and provide great inspiration for Pyeongchang 2018," he said.

"With the thought that the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympic Winter Games will soon begin in just four years' time, I will closely study and observe the operation of the Sochi Games, in order to enhance and fine tune our own preparations in Pyeongchang".

He claimed the scope and depth of the preparations carried out by Sochi 2014 will contribute to the overall success of the event.

President Kim believes that Pyeongchang 2018 has learnt a lot from the success of Sochi 2014 and its Torch Relay ©Getty Images


The leg comes in the final days of the mammoth four month Russian Torch Relay, which has involved 14,000 runners passing through 2,900 cities and towns since the Flame arrived in Moscow from Greece last October.

In recent weeks it has travelled throughout the volatile North Caucuses region - from which many of the security fears which have dogged the build-up to the Games originate - while it also passed by Europe's highest peak of Mount Elbrus at the weekend, although it was actually carried up the mountain in 2013. 

There have been some minor mishaps during the Relay, relating to the Flame being extinguished and the occasional bearer being set on fire, but it has certainly been a general success.

Although it has provided opportunities for all people to be involved in one of the world's most diverse countries, the undisputed highlights were trips to Outer Space and the North Pole, as well as to the bottom of Lake Baikal, ahead of the Opening Ceremony on Friday.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
February 2014: Olympic Flame lighting on Europe's highest peak completes Torch Relay's four "special projects"
January 2014: Sochi 2014 Torch Relay reaches Chechnya capital after route changed over security fears
November 2013: Sochi 2014 Torch Relay plummets to new depths at bottom of world's deepest lake
November 2013: Olympic Torch taken on first ever spacewalk as Sochi 2014 Relay sets new marker
November 2013: IOC President Bach "really very confident" in Pyeongchang 2018