Chinese Olympic and world champions Deng Yaping, Tian Liang have been named among eight members to run the final leg of the torch relay at the opening ceremony of the 21st World University Games, the organizing committee said on Tuesday.
Deng, four-time Olympic table tennis champion, and Tian, Olympic diving gold medalist, together with Lou Dapeng, vice president of the International Amateur Athletics Federation will represent the outstanding Chinese university students in the past and nowadays in the torch relay.
Deputy Secretary General of the 21st Universiade Organizing Committee Zhao Dongming told a press conference today that the other members to run the final leg of torch relay are 14-year-old Li Shanshan of the Beijing No.222 Middle School, An Hu and Suo Ying, both graduates from Qinghua University, Wang Juan, a handicapped athlete who set the long jump world record at the World Championship for the Disabled in 1999,and Yuan Xinyi of Mathematics College of Beijing University.
The torch is scheduled to hand over through the eight bearers in the Workers Stadium, main stadium and venue for the opening ceremony of the University Games.
It is still unknown who will light the cauldron that will mark the climax of the opening ceremony.
"The way of lighting the flame over the stadium remains everybody’s guess," said the tight-lipped Zhao Dongmin. "It is designed to take the audience by surprise."
(Xinhua News Agency 08/20/2001)
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