Thousands turn out for launch of Asian Games torch relay in Hangzhou
The Hindu
The relay will run through 11 cities in the region with over 2,000 people taking part, before ending up back in Hangzhou on September 20.
China launched the torch relay for its Covid-delayed Asian Games on Friday with thousands of people lining the streets of the host city Hangzhou.
Fans waving miniature national flags packed into the area around the city's West Lake several hours before the start of the 9:00 am launch ceremony.
A pair of top officials then ignited the sleek metal torch before a succession of national luminaries paraded it through the streets.
The Asian Games start in Hangzhou, a city in eastern China famed for its elegant temples, canals and bridges, on September 23.
Hangzhou had been due to hold the Games in September last year but they were postponed because of China's strict zero-Covid rules, which have since been abandoned.
The relay will run through 11 cities in the region with over 2,000 people taking part, before ending up back in Hangzhou on September 20.
Participants on Friday -- all clad in white tracksuits with red trim -- included former swimming world champion Luo Xuejuan and Daniel Zhang, CEO of Hangzhou-based tech giant Alibaba.
Asian Games champion Avinash Sable opened his season in the 3000m steeple chase with a silver in the Portland Track Festival, a World Athletics Continental Tour bronze event, in Oregon on Saturday. He clocked 8:21.85s. Asian champion Parul Chaudhary took the bronze in the women’s 3000m steeple chase in a season-best 9:31.38s. Former Asian bronze medallist Sanjivani Jadhav struck gold in the women’s 10,000m in 32:22.77s, a time which was a second off her personal best, while Seema was sixth in 32:55.91s.