Sacred Torch from Athens to Beijing

131 Chinese torchbearers from all over China will gather in the capital to transport the sacred Olympic Torch by hand past all Beijings world-renowned scenic spots such as the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace and several hutongs, as well as Beijing s CBD (Central Business District), famous universities, Chinas Silicon Valley Zhongguancun and the under-construction 2008 Beijing Olympic stadium. The torchbearers have been chosen by four different organizations: Beijing Municipality, the Chinese Olympic Committee, and sponsors Coca-Cola and Samsung. They represent all walks of life, symbolizing Beijing s commitment to its own People s Olympics in four years time.

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Sang Xue, 20 years old, World Champion in Diving.

"Though now I'm ex-service and a freshman at Renmin University, I still keep thinking about doing something related with Olympics. So in the middle of May when I was asked to be one of the torchbearers, I felt that I was a really lucky girl. Recommended by Tianjin Coca-Cola Company I not only represent Tianjin, but Chinese, just like in the world competitions."

The essence of the Olympic spirit is friendship, making your best efforts and constant self-challenge. It s an honour to be a torch-bearer.

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Gao Zhanqiang, 46 years old, Vice General Manager of Beijing Bei an Shidai Elevator Corporation.

"If you got into an elevator, and set a coin on its edge, then when the elevator takes if the coin doesn't fall down, probably it was Gao Zhanqiang who installed that elevator," one of Gao's colleagues informs us. As a national model of the construction industry, Gao has been chosen to be one of the torchbearers by the Beijing Municipal government

"My deepest impressions about the Olympics were when China won its first gold medal in the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympic Games. I have watched the prominent progress China has made during these 20 years, as we can measure through the number of medals we have achieved at the Olympic Games." Gao Zhanqiang tells Beijing This Month, "I like to watch all kinds of sports competitions, especially diving, badminton, football and basketball, and the Olympic level of these sports is spectacular."

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Wei Hong, 37 years old, Director of Touring Service Centre of Summer Palace.

"It is just like a dream that I was asked to be a torchbearer for the Athens Olympic Games. I remember from the beginning of March to the end of June in 1993 we received about 50 officials of IOC in the process of bidding for the 2000 Summer Olympic Games. We got several months' training in English, and then the first bilingual tourist guide service centre was set up in the Summer Palace. This really raised my awareness of the Olympic movement."

"You know, I've cried twice because of the Olympics. The first time was in 1993 when I knew that Beijing had failed in its bid for the 2000 Olympic Games. The second time was in 2001 when I participated in the celebration of our successful bidding for the 2008 Olympic Games."

"As a representative of over 20,000 staff working in Beijing's parks and gardens, I feel extremely honoured to be a torchbearer and am exercising every day for the relay. I used to be an athlete when in the middle school so am a great fan of track and field sports."

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Meng Jingshan, 39 years old, taxi driver.

"I'm willing to run at any section of the route for the Athens Olympic torch relay in Beijing, as I m really familiar with Beijing after being a taxi driver for more than four years." At BTM's request, he told us about a brush with Olympic fame.

"In 2001 very accidentally, an editor of a newspaper from Atlanta got on my taxi, and we had an open chat about Olympics on the way to his destination. Days later, I was told that he published an article about me, and about Beijing's bid for the 2008 Olympic Games. He commented that Beijing was very likely to be selected to hold the 2008 Olympics as he sensed Chinese people's great enthusiasm about the Olympics after talking with me!"

"I love Olympics, and I believe that Olympic Games will greatly change China. My example is that I will be moving into a well-equipped high-rise building before 2008. My old house has already been pulled down and new buildings are now under construction."

"I often play table tennis and basketball and I'm confident I can run fast when my turn comes to carry the torch."