Beijing Olympic Games

Updated: 2008-07-14

(CHANGCHUN, July 14) — Last torchbearer Wang Chunlu, a Winter Games short-track silver medalist, lit the cauldron at Changchun World Sculpture Park at 10: 04 a.m. on Monday to end the Changchun leg of the Olympic Torch Relay. The cities of Songyuan and Jilin will host the torch on Tuesday.

The Olympic Torch Relay kicked off in Changchun at 8:08 a.m. Altogether 218 torchbearers carried the Olympic flame along this nine-km-long journey.

Wang Jiaqi, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, was the first torchbearer.

Changchun is the capital of Jilin Province, located in the northeast of the People’s Republic of China. The city has a population of 7.4 million.

Updated: 2008-07-13

(QIQIHAR, July 13) — Last torchbearer Fu Tianyu lit the cauldron at 9:50 a.m. on Sunday, marking the end of the Qiqihar leg of the Olympic Torch Relay. The torch has left Heilongjiang Province for Jilin Province and Jilin, the capital city, will host the Olympic flame on Monday.

Fu Tianyu was born in 1978. She made notable contributions to the Chinese women’s short-track skating team’s victory at the 2012 Winter Olympics.

Fu Tianyu was born in 1978 and made notable contributions to victory of China’s women’s short-track skating team at the 2012 Winter Olympics.

Liu Yan, female skating champion of the 10th National Games, carried the flame from the Party Office Center Square at 8:10 a.m. as the first torchbearer of the Qiqihar leg of the Olympic Torch Relay, the last stop in Heilongjiang Province.

A total of 208 torchbearers participated in the 7.5 km-long relay. Liu Jianrong, director of a local heavy equipment enterprise; Liang Chunsheng, a local teacher; Liu Yukun, an athlete with a disability; and Ma Liang, a hammer athlete, are among the 208 torchbearers.

Qiqihar is a major city in Heilongjiang Province. Close to Qiqihar are numerous wetlands and the Zhalong Nature Reserve, famous for being home to numerous red-crowned cranes.

Updated: 2008-07-13 From: Xinhuanet

Torchbearer Liu Yan runs with the torch during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games torch relay in Qiqihar, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, on July 12, 2008. (Photo credit: Xinhua)

Torchbearer Liu Yan (Front) runs with the torch during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games torch relay in Qiqihar, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, on July 12, 2008. (Photo credit: Xinhua)

QIQIHAR, Northeast China, July 13 (Xinhua) — The Olympic torch kicked off its relay in Qiqihar, the second largest city in China’s northeastern Heilongjiang Province, at 8:10 on Sunday morning.

Liu Yan, winner at the 2008 National Grand Prix Figure Skating, ran the first leg of the relay, starting from the Municipal Public Square in Qiqihar, which is well-known for red-crowned cranes.

Torchbearer Liu Yan (C) displays the torch during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games torch relay in Qiqihar, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, on July 12, 2008. (Photo credit: Xinhua)

Updated: 2008-07-13

(QIQIHAR, July 13) — Liu Yan, female skating champion of the 10th National Games, carried the flame from the Party Office Center Square at 8:10 a.m. as the first torchbearer of the Qiqihar leg of the Olympic Torch Relay, the last stop in Heilongjiang Province.

A total of 208 torchbearers will participate in the 7.5 km-long relay. Liu Jianrong, director of a local heavy equipment enterprise; Liang Chunsheng, a local teacher; Liu Yukun, an athlete with a disability; and Ma Liang, a hammer athlete, are among the 208 torchbearers.

Qiqihar is a major city in Heilongjiang Province. Close to Qiqihar are numerous wetlands and the Zhalong Nature Reserve, famous for being home to numerous red-crowned cranes.

Updated: 2008-07-16

YANJI, Northeast China, July 16 (Xinhua) — A paralyzed torchbearer hopes the Olympic spirit will influence physically disabled people’s mindset.

“The Olympic spirit — higher, faster, stronger — is especially important for us disabled people. We must pass the spirit to everybody that needs it,” said Zheng Rongzhe, a paralyzed torchbearer, after finishing the torch running in Yanji leg, northeast China’s Jilin province on Wednesday.

“Several days ago, we just organized a sports games for disabled people and drew about 400 athletes. All the events are suitable for them to take part in,” said Zheng. “We hope these competitions can help them pick up themselves and learned the never-give-up spirit.”

Zheng is a good example of the Olympic spirit.

Born paralyzed, Zheng battled difficulties to finish his medicine studies in the Yanji university, and set up a clinic of his own.

Since the clinic was set up in 1993, the kind-hearted youth has never charged the disabled or the elder when they come to see a doctor in the clinic. When it comes to the medicine, a huge discount is often given to these patients.

Zheng insisted on pushing his wheelchair himself in his Olympic torch run, saying that he wanted to showcase the best of himself.

Updated: 2008-07-16

(YANJI, July 16) — Police officer Jin Guangzhen set off from the Yanbian University Stadium at 2:11 p.m. to begin the Yanji leg of the Olympic Torch Relay on Wednesday.

The flame is going to be relayed by 188 torchbearers across 7.8 kilometers.

The relay, which was originally to begin at 8:00 a.m., was delayed because of heavy rain.

Updated: 2008-07-16

YANJI, Northeast China, July 16 (Xinhua) — The Beijing Olympic torch finished its tour in Yanji, northeast China’s Jilin province, at 3:45 p.m. local time on Wednesday.

Former world chess champion Xie Jun lighted the cauldron as the last torchbearer.

The Olympic torch will leave for Shengyang, capital of Liaoning province.