The sporting biggest carnival Olympics got an official start for the 2008 Beijing Olympics after Chinese President Hu Jintao re-lit Olympic torch at a grand function in Beijing's Tiananmen Square on Monday.
The flame landed in Beijing on Monday morning after specially chartered Air China plane carried it from Greece. The flame will now start its long journey on Tuesday from Beijing to Almaty, biggest city of Kazakhstan making its first stop, during its global tour of 135 cities.
Olympic 110m-hurdle champion Liu Xiang was the first person to run with the Olympic torch. He brought the Olympic Torch to Tian'anmen running along Chang'an Avenue as the first leg in the Olympic Torch relay.
The Olympic torch relay will cover a distance of 137,000 kilometers in 130 days before it finally arrives at the National Stadium in Beijing on Aug 8, 2008 for the opening ceremony
IOC coordination commission chairman Hein Verbruggen read the text of International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge's message at the Beijing Olympic torch relay ceremony.
The torch will cross five continents, 21 cities around the globe, and more than 113 cities and prefectures on mainland China, wherever it passes the Olympic torch relay will cause everyone, whatever their nationality, culture or belief, to pause for a few moments to reflect on its message of peace and the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect.
“It is the torch's ability to touch us that allows it to reach out to the world, beyond the host city, to bring the Olympic values closer to society and call the people of the world to the Games,” reads Rogge's message.
“I am certain that the Games themselves, will not only be a moment of sporting excellence, but also an opportunity for the people of China and the world to learn, discover and respect each other,” feels IOC President.
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