On June 16, 2012, Li Jiawei, then 53 and a taxi driver from Qingdao, planned to spend a year and a half cycling solo through 21 cities that have hosted the Summer Olympics. When our newspaper interviewed him in November last year, he had only London left to visit. By the end of last year, he completed the plan, covering a total distance of over 20,000 kilometers, becoming the first person in China to cycle through all Olympic host cities. Yesterday, Li Jiawei told reporters that he is now preparing to embark on a journey to cycle through the 19 cities that have hosted the Winter Olympics.
Forming a team for the Winter Olympics journey
“I applied for a Guinness World Record for this cycling trip, but was rejected. However, I won’t give up. For the upcoming Winter Olympics city tour, we plan to form a small team of three or four cyclists, because most Winter Olympics host cities are located in relatively remote areas with harsher environments.” Yesterday, Li Jiawei told reporters that the Winter Olympics city tour is planned to start with a ride from Sochi, Russia, and the detailed route will need to be carefully discussed with the teammates. This time, it’s no longer just a “spur-of-the-moment trip,” but also requires strong team cohesion.
“Cycling through the Summer Olympics cities cost about 250,000 yuan. I estimate that the Winter Olympics trip will cost each of us over 200,000 yuan as well. Other preparations are almost done, but the financial burden is quite heavy now.” Li Jiawei said that he is promoting the Chinese people’s passion for the Olympics with his actions, and hopes to gain more support from individuals and sponsors. In 2016, he plans to go to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and looks forward to getting a signature from IOC President Bach. Li Jiawei and his teammates know that the Winter Olympics journey will face more challenges, but they will stay firm in their Olympic spirit and keep moving forward.
Cycling over 100 kilometers every day
From Europe to Asia, from Australia to the Americas, Li Jiawei cycled over 100 kilometers every day, sometimes up to 160 kilometers. “I have a plan every day—how far I’ll cycle and what I’ll do are all scheduled in advance,” Li Jiawei told reporters. When he was in the United States, the distance between cities was often great, and he had to reach his accommodation before dark. If he couldn’t make it, he would have to set up a tent in the wild. Normally, he would eat simply at service points along the highway.
Li Jiawei showed reporters a flag covered with Olympic pins. “This flag is very precious to me. It represents the Olympic spirit of a Chinese person, and in many countries, it even served the role of a passport.” Li Jiawei said that when he was cycling in the United States, he once rode on an interstate highway—which is not allowed for bicycles—and was stopped by local police. “Showing my passport didn’t help, but when I took out this flag and explained my story, the police actually escorted me in their patrol car. I was truly overwhelmed.” Li Jiawei proudly added that his UK visa application was rejected twice—if it happened again, he would have to wait ten years to reapply. For the third attempt, he sent them all the Olympic-related materials he had collected, and the visa was approved.