The Guangzhou 2010 Asian Games flame reached the host city on Friday (November 5) after touring 24 cities across the country.
From Saturday (November 6), the flame will travel to 12 districts and counties in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province, and then through the city's urban centre, Dafushan Mountain in Panyu District and Guangzhou University Town.
In the urban centre, the relay will start at the landmark Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall and go across the Pearl River, which runs from west to east through the city.
The flame will finally ignite the cauldron at the Asian Games during the Opening Ceremony on Haixinsha Island on November 12.
The flame was collected at the Juyongguan section of the Great Wall on October 9 and the relay officialy started in Beijing on October 12.
Wan Qingliang, Mayor of Guangzhou, on Friday (November 5) morning distributed the flame to district and county heads and called on Guangzhou residents to cheer the flame along its final path.
About 610 torchbearers, with the oldest being 93 and the youngest six, will participate in the relay in Guangzhou, according to Yang Xinlai, Deputy Director of the Guangzhou Asian Games Torch Relay Operation Centre.
"They come from all walks of life. Some celebrities and sport stars, including folk singer Song Zhuying and Olympic weightlifting champion Chen Xiexia," Yang said.
Zhou Jiawei, who won the 50m butterfly at the Doha Asian Games in 2006, said he was honoured to take part in the Torch Relay in his hometown.
"The torch will inspire me to do a better job in the upcoming games. I am thinking of making a special pose when the flame is passed to me," he said.
Zhou, 27, who was born in Guangzhou, will participate in the 50m and 100m butterfly events at the games, which will be held from November 12 to 27.
Local residents, like 34-year-old Huang Meihua, a white-collar worker, are looking forward to seeing the relay.
"It will be a big carnival for us before the opening of the games," Huang said.
Source: China Daily
0 comments:
Post a Comment