| Olympic torch relay ends international leg in Vietnam amid great passion | ||||||||||
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| 2008-04-30 00:00 | ||||||||||
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Special report: 2008 Olympic Games
HO CHI MINH CITY, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Smiles, cheers, screams, applauses everywhere. The Olympic flame underwent a night of great passion in the Ho Chi Minh City of Vietnam on Tuesday. Hundreds of thousands of people flocked into the street, waiting and enjoying the passing of Olympic flame. The Olympic "five-ring" flags, Vietnam flags and Chinese flags laid all over the sidewalk along the route. Long queues of motorbikes squeezed the intersections longing for a glimpse of the torch relay. Waiters of restaurants suspended work to greet the relay. Thousands of motorists chased the relay to make photos and videos. It's the exact time to celebrate for the whole city. It seems no one would afford to miss the visit of Olympic flame.
The relay, the first hosted by Vietnam, traveled 13 kilometers (8 miles) from the opera house in the city center to the Seventh Military Zone Sports Stadium. Sixty torchbearers from all walks of life participated in the relay. Nguyen Thi Thu Ha, the deputy mayor of Ho Chi Minh city, was the first torchbearer who received the torch from Hu Qianwen, Chinese ambassador to Vietnam, and showcased the flame to the crowd. "Olympic Games is the most significant sports pageantry in the world. As a torchbearer in Ho Chi Minh city, it's evidently a great honor. But I also feel great responsibility to organize the event well until the latest moment," said Nguyen Thi Thu Ha, who is in charge of the organization.
"I hope we can take the advantage of the relay to demonstrate the love of sports in Vietnam, to show our friendship and hospitality. I also hope the arrival of Olympic flame can stimulate the Vietnamese team to turn out good results in the Beijing Games." Nguyen Thi Thu Ha explained the relay itinerary and schedule. "In line with the overload of traffic in Ho Chi Minh City, we have to ponder a route ensuring a smooth progress of torch and minimizing the affection on the residents' life. The time from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. just shuns the traffic jam," she said. Red flags, banners and signs welcoming the torch hung from lampposts along several avenues of the city. It's totally permeated for the city to have a day special and ardency. The celebration ceremony was staged in the Military Stadium, which is not big enough to seat the large pack of enthusiastic spectators. A huge crowd gathered outside the Stadium until the finish of celebration. The vice president of BOCOG Li Binghua delivered sincere thanks for the support and ebullience from the local residents and overseas Chinese. "I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the Vietnam people for their active support to the relay. And also the same thanks to the overseas Chinese living and studying here for their attention to the relay," said Li. "The Olympic torch relay, with the best wishes from China, bridges the gap between different cultures and races, connecting friendships and cooperation." Vietnam Olympic Committee president Nguyen Danh Thai carried the last torch and lighted the cauldron in the Stadium. Ho Chi Minh City is the largest city in Vietnam and is located near the Mekong Delta. The city center is situated on the banks of the Saigon River, 60 kilometers from the South China Sea and 1,760kilometers south of Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. The metropolitan area, which consists of Ho Chi Minh City and surrounding towns, has more than 9 million people, making it the largest metropolitan area in Vietnam Vietnam is the last international leg of the relay before the flame goes to Hong Kong on Wednesday. Beijing Olympic torch relay starts in Ho Chi Minh City
HO CHI MINH CITY, April 29 (Xinhua) -- The Beijing Olympic torch relay in Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City kicked off on Tuesday in the square before the Opera House in the city center. Full story Beijing Olympic Flame arrives in Vietnam
HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam, April 28 (Xinhua) -- The plane carrying the Beijing Olympic flame landed Monday night at Tan Son Nhat International Airport of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, for Tuesday's torch relay through the heart of the city. This is the 19th leg of the Beijing Olympic torch relay around the world, and also the first time for Vietnam to host an Olympic torch relay. Full story Vietnamese eager to watch Beijing Olympic torch relay HO CHI MINH CITY, April 29 (Xinhua)-- Residents and students in Vietnam's biggest city of Ho Chi Minh said they were longing for the Olympic torch relay to be held for the first time in the country on Tuesday. "I am eager to watch the Olympic torch relay because our city is one of 21 cities in the world hosting the event. It is our pride," said Nguyen Vuong Anh Phuong, third-year student at the International University under the Ho Chi Minh City National University. Full story Source: Xinhua |
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