CHENGDE, Hebei province - The Olympic Day Run was held in nine Chinese cities on Saturday to commemorate and celebrate Olympic Day, which is June 23.

"The Olympic Day Run is another chance for the public to embrace sport, to love it and to benefit from it. I hope more and more Chinese people form the habit of running or doing whatever sports you like, as it will make you life more beautiful," said China's Sports Minister, Liu Peng.

A number of Chinese sports stars, including two-time Olympic women's aerials silver medalist Li Nina, joined the runners in Chengde, Hebei province.

"I don't do much sports besides training but my mother is a running addict and she is very healthy. I'm really happy to see more and more people joining us and sharing the fun of sports," said the 27-year-old.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) was formally established on June 23, 1894 and in 1987, in an effort to encourage all National Olympic Committees to celebrate the anniversary, the IOC Sport for All commission launched the Olympic Day Run.

IOC president Jacques Rogge wrote a message for this year's Olympic Day Run.

"Sport teaches us how to strive for excellence in all that we do: How to live in friendship and peace. How to respect ourselves and our neighbors," Rogge said.

"Above all, it reminds us of sport's ability to bring out the best in us all. But let's not forget that sport is also about enjoyment."

Organized by Chinese Olympic Committee and sponsored by its long-term partner, Anta Sports, this year's event is the 24th celebration in China. Apart from Chengde, Guangzhou, which will host November's Asian Games, Tianjin, which is to hold the 2013 East Asian Games, Haiyang, Shandong province, which will cater to the 2012 Asian Beach Games, Wuhan, Nanjing, Chengdu, Xiamen and Harbin also held runs to celebrate Olympic Day.

China Daily

(China Daily 06/21/2010 page11)