The London Olympics torch relay route has been unveiled. There will be no international torch relay. The International Olympic Committee decided to make it a domestic event after the 2008 controversial Beijing torch relay in which protesters used the event to demonstrate against China's human rights abuses.
8,000 local, inspirational torchbearers will take the torch on the 70-day relay beginning on May 19 from Land's End ending at the Olympic Stadium on July 27.
The torch relay will come within 10 miles of 95% of the population which will get a lot of the people excited. The prospect of being a part of an event that may not happen again in their city or in their lifetime makes participating in it more meaningful.
Of the 8,000 torchbearers, 7,300 unsung heroes were named after being nominated for the contribution they had made to their community. The remaining 700 will be revealed later. They are expected to include celebrities.
Dinah Gould at 99 is the oldest torchbearer. She will turn 100 when she carries the flame through the London borough of Barnet.
The runners will be dressed in a new white and gold outfit designed by Adidas. Dinah Gould is second from left in the two images below.
Some people are griping about how the tracksuit looks like pyjamas. You think?
Here's a map of the route the torch will take. (Source: Dailymail.co.uk)
There is also an interactive map that plots every street the torch passes through. Seven islands will be visited. They are the Isle of Man, Isle of Wight, Guernsey, Jersey (the southernmost point the torch relay covers), Shetland, Orkney (the northernmost point) and the Isle of Lewis. Derry or Londonderry in Northern Ireland is the westernmost point of the torch relay.
The 8,000-mile journey of the torch relay will cover some of the UK and Ireland's most dramatic spots including Edinburgh, Land's End, the Needles on the Isle of Wight, as well as the land of Robin Hood, Notthinghamshire.
A little information about the London Olympics torch.. The winning design connects the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay to each of the 8,000 Torchbearers and their community. The Torch's triangular, gold-coloured form is perforated by 8,000 circles representing the 8,000 Torchbearers and their stories of personal achievement and/or contribution to their local community which will be celebrated during the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay - London2012.com
For more information on the London Olympics Games, tickets, torch relay sights and stops, shopping, etc, visit www.London2012.com
Sources:
- www.London2012.com
- www.Dailymail.co.uk
interesting having to see so many cities in UK, haha.. errr, this is only the hosting country's part, is there a relay in other parts of the world??
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, "There will be no international torch relay." - as indicated in the first para of the post.
ReplyDeleteAfter what happened in Beijing during the last Olympics, organizers felt it best to confine the torch relay to just the host country grounds.