Source: CCTV.com

04-05-2008 08:45

Special Report:   2008 Beijing Olympic Games

The Beijing Olympic torch relay is set to begin its third leg on Saturday in St. Petersburg,Russia's second biggest city.The Olympic flame arrived in the city Friday on board the Olympic plane from Istanbul.

Jiang Xiaoyu (L), the executive vice president of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2008 Olympic Games (BOCOG), walks out of the cabin with the lantern which holds the Olympic flame in his hands at the airport in St. Petersburg, Russia, April 4, 2008. St. Petersburg is the third stopover of the 2008 Beijing  Olympic Games flame relay outside the Chinese mainland. [Xinhua]

The arrival of the Olympic flame, carried in a specially designed lantern, was warmly welcomed by St. Petersburg vice mayor Sergey Tarasov, and Chinese ambassador to Russia Liu Guchang.

Jiang Xiaoyu, BOCOG Exec. Vice President, said, "We hope we can consolidate our friendship and spread Olympic spirits at this beautiful and heroic city. I also wish Russian athletes will have a good performance at the Beijing Olympic Games."

The 20 kilometer Olympic torch relay will start Saturday morning from Victory Square in the city center. It is set to cover all the landmarks of the city. Each of the 80 torch bearers, including well-known athletes and sports stars, will run 250 meters, carrying the torch to Hermitage Square where a ceremony will be held.

Svetlana Khorkina, Former Russian, Gymnastics Champion, said, " I hope the Beijing Olympic Games will be a significant and successful event. I think not only Russian athletes, but all world athletes are preparing for the Games with heart and soul."

St. Petersburg is the third stop of the Torch Relay outside the Chinese mainland. It will leave Russia for London on Saturday.

 

Editor:Zhang Pengfei