Sochi 2014 Olympics torches unveiled

PanARMENIAN.Net - Olympics and Paralympics torches for the Sochi 2014 Winter Games have been unveiled in Moscow along with the sporting attire of the relay participants, Xinhua reported.

The torches for both Olympic and Paralympic games are identical in shape but differ in color, with the Olympic torch painted in red and the Paralympics one in blue.

According to the designers, the shape of the 95-cm, 1.8-kg torches is thought to resemble a feather of a Russian fairy-tale "Fire Bird".

A total of 15,000 torches will be produced, to match the number for participants of the Olympic Flame relay.

The selection of the participants of the relay will start Tuesday, Jan 15, head of the Sochi 2014 steering committee Dmitry Chernyshenko said.

Winter Olympics in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi are scheduled to open on Feb. 7, 2014 and run till Feb. 23.