http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200406/07/eng20040607_145557.html Yao Ming to run the last leg of Olympic torch relay in Beijing China's NBA star Yao Ming will run the last section of the Beijing leg of a global torch relay for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, local organizers announced Monday in Beijing. A total of 148 torchbearers, including dozens of celebrities such as legendary table tennis player Deng Yaping and paralyzed gymnast Sang Lan, have been selected for the relay in the host city of the 2008 Games. "The torchbearers come from all walks of life," Jiang Xiaoyu, vice president of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2008 Olympics, told a press conference held on Monday. The flame, which was kindled in Ancient Olympia on March 25 and embarked on a 78,000-kilometer global journey which will cover 34 cities in 27 countries, is schedule to arrive in the Chinese capital from South Korea on June 8 for a two-day stay. Yu Zaiqing, a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC)and vice president of the Chinese Olympic Committee, will set off the relay in the morning of June 9, said Jiang. Regarding the most conspicuous torchbearer -- the last runner, Jiang said Huston Rockets center Yao Ming is a perfect choice. "We've decided to name Yao Ming, a very famous basketball player in China, as well as in the world, as the last torchbearer," he said. But Jiang stressed that the list of the torchbearers is subject to changes in the last minute. "It is only a tentative arrangement. We may modify the order accordingly in case of emergency," he added. After an eight-hour journey of more than 50-kilometers, the torch, to be lit at the east gate of the Great Hall of the People, will reach the Summer Palace where the last torch bearer will ignite a ceremonial cauldron before a grand celebration. Along the route, the flame will pass a host of some symbolic sites such as the Temple of Heaven, the Central Business District, Beijing well-known hutongs, universities and construction sites of the Olympic venues built for the 2008 Games. The flame will be passed from Beijing to New Delhi and is scheduled to return to Athens on July 9 for the second half of its domestic relay before the start of the Aug. 13-29 Olympics.
here is an update on Yao's Olympic torch carrying: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/oly_2004_torch_chn Olympic torch in 2008 host city Beijing amid Yao Ming controversy Tue Jun 8, 2:03 AM ET BEIJING, (AFP) - The Olympic torch has arrived in 2008 host city Beijing on the latest leg of its global tour leading up to the Athens Games, with a question mark over NBA star Yao Ming's running of the final relay leg. The Houston Rockets (news) center has been picked by Beijing organisers to carry the flame into the famous Summer Palace and ignite a ceremonial cauldron, but he was quoted as saying Tuesday that he does not want to do it. "I don't have the right to be the last to carry the baton, this is not the right match," the Eastern Sports Daily quoted Yao as saying. "There are so many Olympic champions among the other torch carriers, they all have medals around their necks, some are even Olympic gold medals. "The best result at the Olympic Games (news - web sites) of the men's basketball team is eighth place and that was eight years ago." He cited as an example Xu Haifeng (China's first ever shooting gold medallist), Gao Min (diving gold) and Deng Yaping (table tennis gold) as more suitable candidates. "I am not the appropriate choice," he said. Jiang Xiaoyu, vice president of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2008 Olympics, had earlier said Yao would run the last section of the Beijing leg. "We've decided to name Yao Ming, a very famous basketball player in China, as well as in the world, as the last torchbearer," he said, but admitted it was not a foregone conclusion. "It is only a tentative arrangement. We may modify the order accordingly in case of emergency," he was cited as saying by the Xinhua news agency. A small lantern carrying the flame arrived at the Beijing International Airport aboard a Greek chartered jumbo jet painted in Olympic colors and dubbed "Zeus" for a two-day stay in the Chinese capital. The lantern was officially received by Liu Jingmin, executive vice president of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2008 Olympics (BOCOG), in a brief ceremony at the airport. The flame was immediately taken to the Great Wall for promotional activities, accompanied by Australian 400-metre Olympic champion Cathy Freeman (news - web sites), the face of the 2000 Olympics and who carried the torch on its Sydney leg last week. On Wednesday, it will embark on an eight-hour relay through the streets of Beijing with or without Yao. A total of 148 torchbearers will take part in the 50 kilometre (31 mile) relay which will pass a host of symbolic sites such as the Temple of Heaven, the city's hutongs, and venues being built for the 2008 Games. Yu Zaiqing, a member of the International Olympic Committee (news - web sites) (IOC) and vice president of the Chinese Olympic Committee, will run the first leg from the east gate of the Great Hall of the People. Other participants include Olympic and world diving champion Tian Liang and triple world swimming champion Luo Xuejuan. The flame began its journey in Ancient Olympia on March 25 when it was lit and taken to Athens' marble stadium, where the first modern Olympics were held in 1896. It started a 78,000-kilometer (48,360 mile) trek across six continents and 33 cities when it left Greece on June 2. From China, the torch moves on to India and winds through Africa, the Americas and Europe before returning to Greece in the countdown to the lighting of the flame in the Olympic cauldron in Athens on August 13.
Yao is alllll Over the macdonald here in Hong Kong There is his face on every hamburger.. and there is his life size poster everywhere, he's HUGE. I am trying to win his macdonald special jersey, so I might eat macdonald everyday.. like when they were doing monopoly earlier.. but I never win nothing...
Such humility! Sadly, if it was some athletes here in the US, they would fight for such priviledge like it was their God given right, before they'd accomplished anything in their lives!
I don't think we as Houston Rocket fans realize how blessed we are to have a person of the magnitude of Yao Ming on our team. He is truly one of the biggest sports stars in the world (literally and figuratively) and is also an excellent role model. Having Yao Ming on our team makes being a Rocket's fan a true joy!
So Yao ran and lit the torch already? I don't get it. Isn't the lighting of the torch supposed to be right before the games as a symbol of beginning the competitions. Like I remember in Atlanta a few years back when Muhammad Ali lit the torch just before the Olympics started.
