|
Olympic torch relay's Beijing leg rescheduled
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2004-05-19 20:28
The Beijing leg of the worldwide Athens Olympic torch relay has been
rescheduled one day later from the original date of June 8, to avoid collision
with the national collegiate entrance exams.
The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG)
announced here on Wednesday that a total of 148 torch bearers will carry the
torch throughout Beijing on June 9. The torch arrives in the Chinese capital on
June 8, the fifth stop of the first truly global relay in the Olympic history.
"The schedule change for the Beijing torch relay has been approved by the
International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Athens organizers," BOCOG
vice-president Jiang Xiaoyu told reporters. "This ensures that no high school
graduates be jammed on their way to sites for their national collegiate entrance
exams."
A ceremony will be held and a documentary film will be shot at the Mutianyu
sector of the Great Wall, when the flame arrives in Beijing from Seoul on June
8, according to Zhang Ming, Deputy Director of BOCOG's Culture and Ceremonies
Department.
"Beijing, as the host city of the next Olympic Games in 2008, has been chosen
to be the fifth stop of the 34-cities torch relay routes, and the torch will
remain here for two days, as compared to the one-day stays in other cities,"
said Zhang.
At 9:00 AM on June 9, the first torchbearer, whose name has yet been
released, will initiate the relay from the north gate of the Great Hall of the
People in downtown Beijing.
The torch will then pass along a well-schemed route, which includes three
urban and two suburban districts of the Chinese capital to showcase its
resplendent culture and modern charm.
Along the 55km route, the Olympic torch travels past a host of such symbolic
sites as the Temple of Heaven, the Central Business District (CBD) and Hutong
(urban lanes) in the traditional residential areas, before reaching the
destination of the Summer Palace at 6:00 PM. The last torchbearer will ignite a
ceremonial cauldron at the scenic resort spot for a 60-minutes party to mark the
two-day event.
After Beijing, the Olympic torch will be airlift to New Delhi, India.
The international part of the longest ever Olympic torch relay,starting on
June 4, will travel a 78,000 kilometers past five continents, with a total of
3,600 torchbearers and 11,000 runners involved. During the relay, the Olympic
torch will visit South America and Africa for the first time.
| |
 |
|
|
|
|
Today's
Top News |
|
|
|
Top Sports
News |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
