China
Chinese speed skater Ye carries Winter Olympics flame
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-01-26 14:28
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VANCOUVER - Chinese legendary speed skater Ye Qiaobo on Monday ran in the torch relay of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games in Canadian western province of British Columbia.
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 China's speed skating legend Ye Qiaobo runs with the Olympic Torch during the 2010 Winter Olympic Torch run in Canadian western province of British Columbia January 20, 2010. The Games will kick off February 10. [Photo/Xinhua] |
Ye, who won China's first-ever Olympic Winter Games medal in 1992, took up the flame in Osoyoos, located in the south central interior of British Columbia, some 400 kilometres east of Vancouver.
The town has been included in the torch relay routes mostly because of its prosperous Indian aboriginal community.
No stranger to the Olympic Torch Relay, Ye has been selected as a torchbearer three times. However, being torchbearer once again, she just couldn't help showing emotional feelings, saying "so exciting" while running to next torchbearer and passing the flame on.
"I just cannot believe it. It's like a dream. So exciting!" said Ye afterwards.
In total, Ye has won 23 medals at the world championships as well as her three Olympic medals. She said that it's her dream to let ordinary people come together to share the Olympic spirit.
Ye is one of the 15 international torchbearers who have been selected to take part in the relay across Canada. Another international torchbearer from China is Yang Yang, who carried the torch in Summerside, Canadian eastern province of Prince Edward Island on November 22 last year. Yang is China's first ever Olympic Winter Games gold medallist from the 2002 Games.
The torch began its journey across Canada on October 30, 2009, in Victoria, capital city of Canada's western province of British Columbia. It will travel 45,000 kilometres across Canada before it reaches Vancouver's BC Place to light the Olympic cauldron for the opening ceremony on February 12.
