KUNMING, Southwest China, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Thirty-five delegations from all over China attended a special torch relay ceremony two days before the opening of the 7th National Games for the Disabled at the Kunming World Expo Garden here on Thursday.

    It's the first time ever that the torch was relayed within the competing delegations of the Chinese big sports events.

    Lv Shiming, vice executive president of the Games' organizing committee lit the torch with the holy flame from an elliptical container and passed it to a Beijing athlete.

    The representatives of the delegations took part in the 20-minute relay in front of hundreds of enthusiastic spectators. The flame was then temporarily sealed into the container for the grand opening of the Games.

    "I am really nervous to carry the torch for the last leg. For me it's a great honour," said Tian Limei, a 20-year-old girl from the Yunnan delegation.

    "To compete in the Beijing Paralympics 2008 is my hope and the scene always comes into my dream."

    The torch will eventually be carried by two excellent athletes from Yunnan into the main stadium to light the cauldron at the opening ceremony on Saturday.

    The flames were collected simultaneously from five special places of Yunnan province on Jan. 19 and began the passing journey by turns from Jan. 22 in five routes, before gathering in Kunming on Feb. 2 when the "Flame of Civalization, Flame of Nature, Flame of Purity, Flame of Power, Flame of Victory" merged to become the "Flame of Harmony".

    The National Games for the Disabled will start on May 12 and last for nine days. A total of 2,251 athletes will compete in the Games, which is an important rehearsal for the Beijing Paralympics in 2008.