Source: CCTV.com

04-03-2008 09:22

Special Report:   2008 Beijing Olympic Games

Before the Flame arrived Istanbul, it just finished the torch relay in its first stop of its worldwide journey in Almaty.

The ceremony began in the high-altitude Medeo ice skating rink south of Almaty.

The ceremony began in the high-altitude Medeo ice skating rink south of Almaty.

BOCOG Executive Vice President Jiang Xiaoyu passed the torch to Zhang Xiyun, the Chinese ambassador to Kazakhan. The flame was then delivered to Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev, who started the relay as the first torchbearer. The 7-hour relay continued in a variety of ways including skiing, motorcycling, and horse riding. About 80 torch-bearers carried the torch around the city.

The relay ended at Astana Square in the downtown area.