For 26 years, Zhang Wenquan, a Beijinger, has been obsessed with the Olympics, collecting over 7,000 pieces of Olympic memorabilia and volunteering twice for the Beijing Olympics. This August, an email from Italy notified him that he had been successfully selected as a torchbearer for the 2026 Winter Olympics and would carry the Olympic flame as the first runner in the Milan leg.
For his trip to Milan, Zhang has specially brought a Year of the Horse limited edition "Bing Dwen Dwen" and carefully selected the Chinese character "Fu" (福, meaning "fortune") to convey the warmth of Chinese culture to the world while spreading the Olympic spirit, inspiring more people to love sports and pursue their dreams.
"Are you ready to be recorded in Olympic history?" On Aug. 29, 2025, a bilingual email in Italian and English appeared on Zhang's screen, with the sender's address reading "viaggio della fiamma" (meaning "journey of the flame"). The email formally notified him that he had been successfully selected as one of the 10,001 torchbearers for the Milano Cortina 2026, tasked with carrying the Olympic vitality, values, and spirit.
The email stated, "The mission of a torchbearer is to illuminate the path to the Winter Olympics opening ceremony and light the dreams in the hearts of all those who witness the torch relay up close."
In February 2025, the torchbearer recruitment for the Milano Cortina 2026 officially began, and Zhang mustered the courage to apply. However, the path to pursuing this dream was far more complicated than he had anticipated. According to reports, the application required answering three questions: Why do you want to become a torchbearer? What is the Olympic value you feel most strongly about, and how do you practice it? If someone nominated you, how would they evaluate you?
Zhang said he is not proficient in English, so he sought help from an acquaintance to translate his responses. He introduced his collection and volunteer experiences, as well as his correspondence with Thomas Bach, International Olympic Committee Honorary President for Life.
In addition, applicants were required to provide their passport numbers, but Zhang's passport had long expired and needed to be renewed. After finally obtaining the new document, he faced repeated obstacles when submitting his information. In a moment of urgency, he sought help from friends in China and abroad, making multiple attempts before completing the information submission.
Overcoming one hurdle after another, it was not until June 2025, as the torchbearer recruitment was about to close, that his application was finally completed. At the time, Zhang did not hold high hopes, believing that being a torchbearer "seemed like something only celebrities could do," and he considered completing the application itself a victory.
This was not Zhang's first attempt to pursue his torchbearer dream. During the 2011 Shenzhen Universiade, he had already entertained the idea and even made it into the top eight in the Beijing region during the application process. For the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, he applied but failed. In late August, after receiving the selection email, Zhang was filled with excitement.
"My Olympic dream has truly come true this time, and I cherish this opportunity immensely."
After being selected, Zhang immediately immersed himself in a new round of preparations. He gathered information on "how to be a good Olympic torchbearer," studied the torch relay procedures and precautions repeatedly, and contacted relevant personnel in Milan to plan every aspect of his trip. Beyond his own preparations, Zhang also initiated a dedicated WeChat group for torchbearers, volunteers, and spectators, where Olympic enthusiasts shared practical information such as the Milan torch relay routes, Olympic venue distributions, transportation, accommodations, and event schedules.
"When away from home, I hope everyone can unite, help each other, and experience the charm of the Olympics together."
Before his departure, Zhang was still enthusiastically planning his trip to Milan. He revealed that he will bring the red "Bing Dwen Dwen," symbolizing the Chinese New Year, as well as many auspicious "Fu" characters. Since the Winter Olympics coincide with the Chinese New Year, he hopes to give these "Fu" characters to spectators watching the torch relay, allowing them to feel the warmth from China.
"This is not just a simple torch relay; I believe it is also a form of cultural exchange."
In a hutong on Xi'anmen Street in Beijing's Xicheng District, Zhang has personally built a miniature "Olympic Museum" using over 7,000 pieces from his collection. Inside, the adorable "Bing Dwen Dwen" is undoubtedly the star of the show. Thousands of "Bing Dwen Dwen" figurines in various styles are displayed in an orderly fashion, including astronaut editions, zodiac editions from different years, and more.
Recently, he has also acquired highly prized award ceremony versions of "Bing Dwen Dwen" and "Shuey Rhon Rhon," with each piece carrying unique Olympic memories. It is reported that Zhang's collection of Olympic memorabilia totals more than 7,000 items, and what is displayed in this small room is only the tip of the iceberg of his treasured collection.
Since 2015, Zhang has embarked on a long journey of collecting Olympic memorabilia. Initially, he only collected event mascots, but his collection gradually expanded to include various souvenirs such as torches, badges, and award ceremony items, spanning multiple international sporting events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Universiade, and World Games.
Among all his collectibles, the most eye-catching are 11 precious torches from the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, including rare editions such as the research and development version, the Mount Everest relay version, and the official relay version. Zhang Wenquan revealed that these were collected by visiting many places and investing significant effort and savings into his passion.
While deeply engrossed in collecting, Zhang has also volunteered for the Olympics twice, demonstrating his love for the Games through action. In 2008, he served as a volunteer at the Wukesong Baseball Field during the Games. In 2022, he became a city volunteer for the Beijing Winter Olympics. These volunteering experiences became important assets in his application to be a torchbearer for the Milano Cortina 2026. Zhang Wenquan expressed that his days of serving both inside and outside the stadium gave him a deeper understanding of the Olympic spirit. "As a torchbearer," he said, "I will inspire more people to participate in sports."
(Source: Wen Wei Po; Journalist: Su Yurun)
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