Special report:   2008 Olympic Games 

    OLYMPIA, Greece, March 24 (Xinhua) -- The Beijing Olympic flame was ignited in a traditional sun-ray ceremony at 11:45 a.m. on Monday at the Hera Temple of Ancient Olympia.

The head priestess, Greece's actress Maria Nafpliotou, raises the torch of Olympic flame during the flame lighting ceremony for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games held in Olympia, Greece, March 24, 2008. (Xinhua Photo)   Photo Gallery>>>

    Dark clouds over Olympia troubled Olympic flame lighting rehearsal parted at last Monday with a flawless torch lighting ceremony heralding the unprecedented torch relay.

    The High Priestess Maria Nafpliotou lit the flame out of a concave, burnished steel mirror. Then the flame was transported in a replica of an ancient urn to the ancient Olympia stadium where it was to kindle the first Olympic torch.

    High Priestess Maria Nafpliotou handed over the torch to the first torchbearer, 2004 Olympic silver medallist in taekwondo (80kg) Alexandros Nikolaidis, who carried it to kick off the relay in Greece, across five continents and China.

Greek actress Maria Nafpliotou (R), playing the role of a high priestess, kindles a pot with the Olympic flame during the Olympic Flame Lighting Ceremony in Olympia, Greece, March 24, 2008. (Xinhua Photo)

    Prior to the lighting, Nafpliotou and 20 female priestesses -- all wearing pleated white dresses and sandals -- performed an ancient ritual. Following a short dancing ceremony on the slope of ancient Olympia stadium, the High Priestess ignited the first Beijing Olympic torch.

    The Olympic Anthem, the National Anthem of China, the National Anthem of Greece were played and the Olympic Flag, the Chinese Flag and the Greek Flag were hoisted before the lighting ceremony.

    The speeches were given by the mayor of Ancient Olympia Georgios Aidonis, President of the International Olympic Committee Jacques Rogge, President of the Hellenic Olympic Committee Minos Kyriakou as well as the President of the Beijing Organizing Committee of Olympic Games Liu Qi.

    "Today will lead to the opening of the first ever Olympic Games in China, where one fifth of the world's population is longing for them," said Rogge.

    "By crossing five continents and visiting 21 cities throughout the world, and more than 100 cities in mainland China, the 2008 Olympic Torch Relay prepares the way to Beijing.

    "The messengers will be citizens, young or old, able or disabled, athletes and members of the Olympic Movement, who are all eager to promote what each one of us can contribute to a better world."

    Among the dignitaries were Prime Minister of Greece Kostas Karamanlis, President of Greece Karolos Papoulias and former IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch.

    "Let me first express our heartfelt gratitude to their excellencies the President and Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic for their presence at the ceremony, which fully demonstrates the friendly sentiments of the Greek Government and people towards the Chinese people," said Liu Qi.

    "China and Greece, standing as ancient civilizations with long histories, have made outstanding contributions to human progress.

    "Today, the Olympic flame, representing the transcendent human spirit, will be lit once again. Burning in the torch of the Beijing Olympic Games, the flame will travel over mountains and seas across the globe, our common homeland."

The first torchbearer, Greek taekwondo athlete Alexandros Nikolaidis(R), silver medalist in the Athens Olympics, kindles the torch in hand of former Chinese swimmer Luo Xuejuan(L), Athens Olympics gold medalist, during the torch relay of the Beijing Olympic Games in Olympia of Greece on March 24, 2008. (Xinhua Photo)   Photo Gallery>>>

    "The Olympic flame will radiate light and happiness, peace and friendship, and hope and dreams to the people of China and the whole world. Its rays will light up the starry skies during the Beijing Olympic Games."

    Other prominent torch runners on the first day included 2004 Olympic champion Luo Xuejuan in 100 meters backstroke and double Olympic champion of table tennis in 1996 Atlanta Olympics Deng Yaping. Luo was the first Chinese to hold the Beijing Olympic flame after taking it from Nikolaidis.

    According to the schedule, the Olympic flame will be handed over to BOCOG at 3 p.m. at Panathenian Stadium in Athens.

    In Greek leg, the sacred flame will pass through 16 prefectures, 43 municipalities, 12 municipality districts, and 4 communities inthe hands of 605 torchbearers. En route, a total of 29 ceremonies will be held to celebrate the flame.

    The torch will roam the island for six days, staying one night each in Mesologi, Ioannina, Vera, Thessaloniki, and Lamia, after which it will reach Athens.

    The Olympic flame is to arrive in Beijing on March 31. A welcome ceremony will be held at Tian'anmen Square, heart of the host city of the 2008 Olympic Games.

    After the Greek leg, the Beijing Olympic torch relay covers three parts, the relay outside the mainland of China, in the mainland of China and Mt. Qomolangma exhibition.

    The Olympic flame will visit 21 cities outside Mainland of China across six continents and travel across 113 cities and regions of all 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities in the mainland China until it returns to Beijing on Aug. 6.

Retired swimmer Luo proud to be first Chinese torchbearer of Beijing Olympics

Chinese swimmer Luo Xuejuan(R), Athens Olympics gold medalist, runs during the torch relay of the Beijing Olympic Games in Olympia of Greece on March 24, 2008. (Xinhua Photo)

    OLYMPIA, Greece, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Luo Xuejuan, dubbed the "Queen in the Pool" in China before her retirement last year, felt proud as the first Chinese to bear the torch of Beijing Olympic Games here on Monday.

    "I feel so honored," said Luo, who won the only swimming title for China in Athens four years ago when she triumphed in the women's 100 meters breaststroke event. Full story 

Olympic flame lights up spirit among Chinese sportsmen

    BEIJING, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese sportsmen have been highly spirited after the flame for this summer's Beijing Olympic Games was lit up in Ancient Olympia on Monday.

    "It starts the torch relay and marks the countdown of the Olympic Games on our home turf," said former Chinese Olympian Lang Ping, now the head coach of the U.S. women's national volleyball team. Lang will be one of the torchbearers during the flame's international relay in North America. Full story

World athletes hail torch relay as flame lit up

    BEIJING, March 24 (Xinhua) -- World athletes hailed the torch relay of the Beijing Olympic Games as the flame was lit up in Ancient Olympia and started its international tour on Monday.

    The Beijing Olympics flame was lit in an official ceremony at the birthplace of the ancient Olympics. Full story

1st torchbearer: Beijing Olympic Games to be big success

    OLYMPIA, Greece, March 23 (Xinhua) -- As the first torchbearer of this summer's Olympic Games, Greek Olympic taekwondo silver medalist Alexandros Nikolaidis said here Sunday that the Beijing games will be a big success as their preparations are underway smoothly.

The head priestess(L), actress Maria Nafpliotou, kindles a torch in hand of Greece's Olympic silver medallist for taekwondo Alexandros Nikolaidis during the last rehearsal for the Olympic flame lighting ceremony for the Beijing 2008 Games in Olympia, Greece, March 23, 2008. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling)  Photo Gallery>>>

    Nikolaidis appeared for the first time Sunday in the rehearsals for Monday's flame lighting ceremony of the Beijing Olympiad at Ancient Olympia. Full story