Athletes compete during the cross-country skiing women's 30km mass start free of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at National Cross-Country Skiing Centre in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei province, Feb 20, 2022. [Xinhua/Liu Chan]

BEIJING — The Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games has greatly impressed masses of officials, academics and athletes across the world, who have said the extraordinary sportsmanship and solidarity displayed during the global sports gala has conveyed a lot of hope to the international community.

Bosnia and Herzegovina's luger Mirza Nikolajev became known to many Chinese after the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Winter Games, for his wink in front of the camera during the athlete parade went viral.

At the Olympic Village, "everybody was always so cheerful and smiling all the time. They did their best to make you feel at home," Nikolajev has said in a video interview.

"I am so happy that I had a chance to represent my country. Not in the light that I wanted to, but still this was an amazing experience," the luger added.

For Turkish short-track speed skater Furkan Akar, the Olympic Village is full of fun, and he enjoyed the food there. "I had a great time in Beijing," said Akar.

Turkish National Olympic Committee Sports Director Erdem Dogan has praised the organizers of the Beijing Winter Olympics for their effective COVID-19 response and excellent services.

The COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control measures of the Beijing Winter Olympics are very scientific, which ensure athletes may train and compete in a safe environment, said Dogan.

"The work of the volunteers here has been incomparable, in terms of both efficiency and flexible working hours ... Their work was very successful," the Turkish official added.

Romanian veteran player Raluca Stramaturaru, who competed in the luge team relay at this year's Winter Games, said that Beijing 2022 is the best Olympics she has ever participated in.

Martin Begino, head of the Argentine delegation at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, spoke highly of the preparation and organization of the Games, saying that the event had been organized in an orderly manner.

Han Zhebin (3rd L), a volunteer of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, takes part in a briefing on photographing work at National Biathlon Centre in Zhangjiakou, North China's Hebei province, Feb 11, 2022. [Xinhua/Ding Ting]

As can be seen from the complete infrastructure of the event, China attaches great importance to the preparation and organization of the Games, said Begino, adding that the organizing committee can patiently listen to the feedback of different delegations and solve problems in time.

The 24th Olympic Winter Games deserves the highest praise, said Yevgeny Zaitsev, head of the Center for Russian-Chinese Studies at Russia's Lomonosov Moscow State University.

Despite the difficulties caused by the pandemic, China has fulfilled its promise to the greatest extent and has presented a green, inclusive, open and clean Winter Olympics, Zaitsev told Xinhua in a written interview.

Zaitsev said the Olympic motto of "Faster, Higher, Stronger - Together," was further interpreted in Beijing 2022, and the sportsmanship of athletes who overcame various difficulties and pushed the envelope has also inspired the world.

The story of the gift exchange between American and Chinese curlers, after the competition in mixed doubles round robin, impressed Gerald Mbanda, a Rwandan researcher and publisher. In his article published recently on the Rwanda-based Africa-China Review news website, Mbanda said "this was the best sportsmanship spirit."

The example given by Fan Suyuan and Ling Zhi and their American counterparts has "sent a strong message" — the spirit of Olympic Games is about friendship, solidary, and peace, he said.

Kimmo Suomi, professor emeritus of sports planning at Finland's Jyvaskyla University, also had positive things to say about the Beijing Winter Olympics.

The opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics was impressive and delivered a message of hope to the world that while the world is experiencing chaos caused by the pandemic, one can also live a relatively normal life at the Olympics, Suomi said in an interview with Xinhua.

China has showed the world its splendid preparation and superb managerial quality, said Yuba Nath Lamsal, former chief editor of The Rising Nepal daily.