Sochi Olympic torch relay swims in near-freezing water (video)

An Olympic torch took a polar plunge in Blagoveshchensk, a city on the China border.

Several brave men accompanied the torch through a portion of the Amur River. By the looks of it, the torch came close to submersion.

The official Twitter account for the Sochi Olympics cited the water temperature at about 35 degrees Farenheit.

Here is the team of brave and strong men – ice swimmers took part in #Sochi2014 Olympic Torch Relay pic.twitter.com/H6FK7tgD3P

— Dmitry Chernyshenko (@DChernyshenko) November 19, 2013

The professional swimmers took a heat with the Flame in Amur river in Blagoveshensk. The water is ~ +2C #TorchRelay pic.twitter.com/hMtOxUkEH2

— Sochi 2014 (@Sochi2014) November 19, 2013

Fresh&cool leg of #Sochi2014 Olympic #TorchRelay– ice swimmers took the torch to Amur River! And it's minus outside! pic.twitter.com/7TdHBXsaLN

— Dmitry Chernyshenko (@DChernyshenko) November 19, 2013

The Olympic torch relay has no barriers. Amur River: temperature of the water +2(C)/35 (F). 80 days to @Sochi2014 pic.twitter.com/edmNUz488e

— Olympics (@Olympics) November 19, 2013

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