Beijing Olympic torch relay kicks off in Chinese mainland

wendy

Beijing Olympic torch relay kicks off in Chinese mainland

Source: Xinhua | 05-04-2008 10:37
Special Report:  2008 Beijing Olympic Games

SANYA, Hainan, May 4 (Xinhua) -- The 2008 Beijing Olympic torch relay kicked off here Sunday morning, the first leg in Chinese mainland.

At the Fire Phoenix Square of the Phoenix Island,China's short track speed skating Olympic champion Yang Yang became the first torchbearer.



China's short track speed skating Olympic champion Yang Yang
became the first torchbearer.


\"I felt both excited and nervous to be the first torchbearer in the Chinese mainland,\" said Yang, the first Chinese gold medalist in the Winter Olympic Games.

Yang won two gold medals in the women's 500m and 1,000m short track speed skating at the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games in 2002 to end China's gold drought at the winter Olympics.

She has collected a total of 59 world titles in her career in the World Championships and World Cups before her retirement at the age of 30 in August, 2006.

Torchbearer Yang Lan runs with the torch during
the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games torch relay in Sanya,
south China's Hainan Province, on May 4, 2008.
(Xinhua Photo)



China's NBA Milwaukee Bucks forward Yi Jianlian
runs with the torch during the 2008 Beijing Olympic
Games torch relay in Sanya, south China's Hainan
Province, on May 4, 2008.(Xinhua Photo

wendy

1. kicks off ----start 开始

2. the first leg ---第一站
3. the Fire Phoenix Square of the Phoenix Island---在凤凰岛火凤凰广场
4. short track speed skating ---短道速滑
5. to end China's gold drought at the winter Olympics.---结束了中国在冬奥会金牌零的记录
6. world titles ---世界级名次