The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) released on Tuesday the names of six torchbearer candidates for the torch relay of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in the North America leg, reported Xinhua News Agency.

The six would-be torchbearers, two male and four female candidates ranging in age from 20 to 69, were nominated from all walks of life and includes a retired policeman, a businessman, a teacher and a student.

As the only stop in North America, San Francisco inaugurated the torchbearer solicitation program on Jan. 24, 2008, with a theme of "Green Olympics and A Healthy Way of Life" in the region.

As an international metropolis, San Francisco is well known for its social stability, economic prosperity, cultural diversity and the harmonious atmosphere of different nationalities living in the city. The city also has a long history of settlement by overseas Chinese.

The Beijing Olympic torch will arrive in San Francisco on April 9, 2008.

(BOCOG March 20, 2008)