|
THE Olympic torch was carried through scenic Huizhou in yesterday's relay, the third stop in Guangdong Province, with the local backstroker Chen Xiujun running the first leg.
Chen, 22, finished first in the women's 200m backstroke at China's national games 2001. Then a year later, she was ranked fourth at the Busan Asian Games in the event. In the 2004 Athens Games, Chen settled for fourth place in the 4x100m medley.
This relay section went for 30 kilometers, through lakeside scenery, avenues, and picturesque trees, encompassing the "half landscape half lake" ambience of the city, which has two rivers and a zigzag lake downtown.
As usual with the relay, thousands of residents occupied the sidewalk along the route, cheering the passing of the Olympic flame in their hometown.
Other star torchbearers included Liang Wenbo, a snooker player, Lu Qin, a chess master, and Zhong Xiu'e, a retired wrestler. As well workers, servicemen, entrepreneurs, army officers and merchants all played a part in the relay.
Lu Qin, a team and individual world chess champion, was the last runner of the day.
"I want to put my torch in my chess club so that more people will see it and be part of the Olympic Games," said 47-year-old Lu, who started playing chess when he was seven.
Liang was champion at the 2005 World Youth Billiard Championships, and was the team champion at the Doha Asian Games 2006. He reached the quarterfinals at the World Championships this year.
Zhong Xiu'e was world champion five times in a row and has been named one of the top 10 wrestlers in the 20th century.
The relay started at 8:10am in the City Stadium Square, and thousands of residents witnessed the opening ceremony when hundreds of doves were released.
Liu Wenjie, a member of China's peacekeeping police squad in Haiti, ran one of the legs in yesterday's relay. He was awarded a "Peace Medal" by the United Nations.
"I am a peacekeeper in Haiti and now, as a torchbearer, I am a promoter of peace because the Olympic spirit represents peace," said Liu.
"World peace is the strongest power for progress. I hope the Olympic flame can light the world and this relay can spread the message of peace around China and the world," he added.
The relay ended at 3:10pm at Huizhou Stadium where the crowds enjoyed drumming, lion and dragon dancing, and Olympic songs.
Huizhou is a prefecture-level city in Guangdong Province.
Part of the Pearl River Delta, Huizhou borders Guangzhou to the west, Shaoguan to the north, Heyuan to the northeast, Shanwei to the east, Shenzhen and Dongguan to the southwest, and looks out to the South China Sea to the south.
Its name is linked to the "four treasures of the scholar's studio," or Huizhou's "four treasures."
The relay would reach Guangdong's Shantou before moving to Fujian Province today.
Xinhua
|
Newspaper Edition
