The arrival of the Olympic torch in the Chinese capital and the Beijing leg of its round-the-world relay were momentous events closely followed by everyone in the city. Among those millions were 28 families who were more excited than most: they had been selected to take part in the ceremonies.

Beijing Television Station, the Beijing Evening News and the Office of the Mutianyu Section of the Great Wall jointly sponsored an activity entitled, “Climb the Great Wall, Welcome the Olympic Torch, Share the Happiness.” With the help of the Beijing Women’s Federation, they invited average families to apply to participate. The only prerequisite was that family members have some experience related to the Great Wall or the Olympic Games. Twenty-eight families were selected.

One of the lucky families was that of Zhang Zhiyou, who is a member of the China Artists Association. Zhang once made a book-collector’s seal for Juan Antonio Samaranch, former president of the International Olympic Committee.

All three members of Cheng Bingshi’s family are torch designers. Their designs were used at the 1st National City Sports Meet and the 11th Asian Games. 

Chen Shan, along with his wife and their five-year-old daughter Boya, was also selected. They said it is mainly because little Boya began a fitness program before she was quite one year old. She usually works out for about 10 minutes daily.

Before making their final selection, the organizers expressed some concern about Boya’s ability to make it through the entire long ceremony and all the activities surrounding the Olympic torch’s arrival. But any objections faded when a confident Boya waved her fist and said, “I am the strongest. I will climb to the top of the Great Wall by myself.”

The Mutianyu section of the Great Wall snakes through the mountains 90 kilometers northeast of Beijing. On the morning of June 8, the green slopes and the beacon towers surrounding the site of the festivities were adorned with dozens of flags and huge balloons in the Olympic colors of red, yellow, blue, green and black.

At 10:30 AM, the emcee announced that the torch was on its way and a cheer went up.

The Athens Olympics Torch delegation, all in blue uniforms bearing the signs of olive branches and the figure of a torchbearer, entered the site, led by Athens 2004 Olympic Torch Relay Ambassador Spiros Lambridis. Awaiting their arrival at the wall were members of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) and the Chinese Olympic Committee.

In his address to the assembly, Lambridis said that the enthusiasm he was seeing at the Great Wall made clear the fact that the people of China love the Olympics. He added that Athens was in the final stages of preparing for this summer’s Games, and that the city welcomed friends from all over the world.

At 11:20 AM, Lambridis and Zhang Mao, deputy mayor of Beijing and vice president of BOCOG, held up the torch together as confetti fell from above.

The 28 families in attendance had trouble containing their excitement. One middle school student broke ranks, insisting that his classmates and teachers had to see a photo of him with the torch.

Little Boya had to ride on her dad’s shoulders to get a view. When someone asked her what she thought of seeing the Olympic torch, she replied, “I think all children should go jogging in the morning until 2008, when China has the Olympic Games.”

(China.org.cn by staff reporter Chen Shan, June 10, 2004)