CHONGQING: The torch relay came to this mountainous city June 16, 2008.
It started from the Economy Development Zone Administration square at 8:10 am, as Gu Li, a professional Go chess player, lit the torch.
Liu Gangjun, a farmer from Mianzhu who lost his leg in last month's quake, carries the torch June 16, 2008. [Xinhua] |
"I decided to give up watching the European Championships on TV on Sunday in order to get a good rest, but I was so excited I couldn't sleep," the 26-year-old said.
Yang Zhanyu, the 206th torchbearer and a survivor of the 1976 Tangshan earthquake, is a doctor in the No 3 Medical College of the PLA.
He was also part of a relief team sent to Wenchuan, epicenter of the quake on May 12.
"I am lucky to be picked as an Olympic torchbearer, but what I value most is that I helped the victims of the Wenchuan quake," he said.
Yang passed the torch to Liu Gangjun, who lost his right leg in the Wenchuan quake and carried the flame in his wheelchair.
Liu, a farmer from Mianzhu, Sichuan province, is now known as "Iron Man", after rescuers amputate his leg to free him the rubble under which he was trapped.
The final leg of the relay was run by boxing champion Li Bin, who lit the cauldron at 10:35 am local time. The relay will today be held in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous.
