Jiang Xiaoyu (L), the executive vice
president of the Beijing Organizing Committee of Olympic Games (BOCOG),
gives the torch to Princess Anne during the ceremony in London, capital of
Britain, April 6, 2008. London is the fourth stop of the 2008 Beijing
Olympic Games torch relay outside the Chinese mainland. (Xinhua/Xie
Xiudong) Photo Gallery>>>
LONDON, April 6 (Xinhua) -- The heavy snow in London
exerted slim effect on people's passion of seeing Beijing Olympic flame as large
crowds lined along the street to greet the relay of torch on Sunday in the host
city of 2012 Games.
London boasted the longest relay of nearly 50
kilometers among cities outside China's mainland. Eighty torchbearers, including
Paralympics, Olympic athletes and celebrities carried the torch through ten
London boroughs from Wembley to Greenwich. Landmark buildings and ancient sites
witnessed the sacred flame.
Dragon and lion dancing performance dressed up the
Chinatown like a festival. Large groups of Chinese in squares or concentration
point waited the flame hours before its arrival.
Quintuple Olympic gold medallist rower from Marlow Bottom
Steve Redgrave initiated the relay within the Wembley Stadium.
Redgrave just criticized the binding of Olympics and
politics days before the relay.
After striking gold in Sydney, Redgrave became the
only English athlete ever to have won gold medals in five consecutive Olympic
Games. His first Olympic gold came in the coxed fours in Los Angeles in 1984,
followed by gold with Andy Holmes in the coxless pairs at Seoul in 1988, gold
with Matthew Pinsent in the coxless pairs at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992 and
the Atlanta Olympics in 1996.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown (4th
L), British Olympic Minister Tessa Jowell (5th L) and torchbearer Denise
Lewis (6th L) applaud as disabled torchbearer Ali Jawad (3rd L) starts
with the torch outside 10 Downing Street in London, capital of Britain,
April 6, 2008. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>
In the Downing Street, Prime Minister Gordon Brown
met a special torchbearer Ali Jawad, a disabled athlete on wheelchair, who is on
the brink of qualification for Beijing Paralympics.
"The Olympic games are very important for all
Chinese. In Chinatown, everyone is very anxious to see the torch pass," said
London Chinese Community Center spokeswoman Annie Wu. "We hope it goes
smoothly."
Chinese ambassador to Britain Fu Ying ran her leg in
Chinatown, who was a hot topic of British media over whether she would be a
torchbearer.
"It's a great day for both London and Beijing. The
two cities meet each other today," said Fu.
"I hope the Olympic flame can splash peace, harmony
and friendship to the world. I'm happy to see large groups of residents give
their warm welcome to the flame's arrival including the elderly and the young.
"The Chinatown leg is a very special experience.
Britain is one of the top destinations for first-generation Chinese migrants, so
a lot of people have been living here for decades.
"It's really a great pleasure to see Londoners
smiling and waving."
The Asian descendant Mayuri Morawaka had a leg in
Enfield. "I ran a year dance club with another fellow student once a week at my
school, I also help with sports day and dance workshops. I am currently
completing the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award," said Morawaka.
"I strongly support the Olympics because it
encourages people to engage in more physical activity and a great opportunity to
seethe world's sporting talents bringing each other closer."
Torchbearer Fu Ying, China's Ambassador
to the United Kingdom, runs with the torch during the Olympic torch relay
in London, capital of Britain, April 6, 2008. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>
Chun Pal Mak, an English student with Chinese origin
living in London, carried the torch through Greenwich.
"This is the greatest honor to be able to represent
Britain and China in this exchange of great importance. Since as a child I've
watched the Olympics and prided myself that I am both British and Chinese," he
said.
"I love sports and participate in many, representing
the John Roan Secondary Schools cricket team. We reached the finals and we also
won the under-15 league."
The last bearer is Dame Kelly Holmes, a retired
English middle-distance athlete. She won gold medals in the 800 meters and1,500
meters at the 2004 Summer Games.
The route covers London's cross-sectional sites
including Wembley Stadium, Notting Hill Gate, Hyde Park Place, Marble Arch,
Oxford Circus, British Museum, Chinatown Arch, Trafalgar Square, Downing Street,
Bridge Street, Waterloo Bridge, St Paul's Cathedral and Greenwich.
More than 80,000 people of Chinese descent live in
London, making it the largest Chinese community in Europe.
Following the London leg of the Olympic Torch Relay,
the torch will travel to Paris for its fifth leg in the global tour.
