Beijing Olympic Games

Updated：2008-05-28

(HEFEI, May 28)– Olympic diving champion Li Na was the first torchbearer on Wednesday morning as the Olympic flame began its journey through Hefei, the capital of Anhui Province.

According to Torch Relay arrangements, the relay in Anhui will pass through the cities of Hefei, Huainan, Wuhu, and Huangshan and Jixi County May 28-30, covering a distance of 908.96 kilometers.

The running distance of the torchbearers totals 39.99km , with an average of 64 meters per torchbearer. There will be 624 torchbearers participating in the Anhui portion of the relay, selected by the province, the Chinese Olympic Committee and Beijing Olympic Games partners and sponsors. They will be accompanied by 161 escort runners.

Among the torchbearers are model workers, scientists who have contributed to the country’s social-economic development, successful entrepreneurs and noted athletes. A number of front-line earthquake relief workers will also join the ranks.

The Hefei leg is expected to last three and half hours, starting from the Anhui International Expo Center and finishing at Hefei Sports Center Stadium. Each of the 224 torchbearers in Hefei will run an average of 48m.

Before the Hefei leg began, a moment of silence was observed for victims of the 8-magnitude earthquake that hit southwest China on May 12.

Sun Jinlong, member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Anhui Provincial Committee and Hefei Municipal Committee, said that the Olympic flame will pass on not only the Olympic spirit, that encourages resilience and transcendence, but also the confidence and courage that has brought the Hefei people and their fellow Sichuan countrymen together in disaster relief efforts.