Special report: 2008 Olympic Games  

Yang Shu'an (L), Executive Vice President of the Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee, and Ho Hau Wah, chief executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region, hold the torch together ahead of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games torch relay in Macao, south China, on May 3, 2008. (Xinhua/Zhou Lei)  Photo Gallery>>>

    MACAO, May 3 (Xinhua) -- The 21st leg of the Beijing Olympic torch relay started in Macao SAR Saturday afternoon.

    At the launching ceremony, Ho Hau Wah Chief Executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) handed torch to Leong Hong Man, a local martial arts athlete and also the first torchbearer.

    "Today marks a special day in the history of Macao in which the Macao SAR Government and the general public take pride, and will forever be remembered as the day we welcome for the first time, the Olympic Flame to our city for the important Olympic Torch Relay," said Ho.

    Macao is the 21st stop of the Olympic torch relay. After the relay in the island city, the sacred flame will be delivered to the first stop in the Chinese mainland.

Ho Hau Wah, chief executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region, holds up the torch ahead of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games torch relay in Macao, south China, on May 3, 2008. (Xinhua/Zhou Lei)   Photo Gallery>>>

    For his part, He Zhenliang, representative of International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge, said that the Olympic Games is a festive celebration of peace and friendship for the global community, and to make the Beijing Olympic Games successful, "we need the support of the entire nation, including the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR)."

    Macao's gaming mogul, 86-year-old Stanley Ho was the second torchbearer in the relay. "It's just 200 meters, no big deal. I am quite capable of running longer distances," He said excitedly after running some 200 meters in the relay.

Spectators cheer for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games torch relay in Macao, south China, on May 3, 2008. (Xinhua/Zhou Lei)  Photo Gallery>>>

    As the event was historically launched in the island city, LaamWah Ying, president of the Macao Olympic Committee, also called upon the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to admit Macao as its member, which failed to see any one of its athletes to qualify for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

    "We are hopeful that with the support of the Central People's Government, the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region and the Chinese Olympic Committee, our Olympic dream will one day become a reality, allowing our athletes to step into the Olympic arena," he said at the ceremony.

    The route of the Macao-leg relay will pass along most of the city's cultural relics and iconic buildings such as the Grand Lisboa casino hotel.

Torchbearers file to the site of the starting ceremony before the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games torch relay in Macao, south China, on May 3, 2008. (Xinhua/Zhou Lei) Photo Gallery>>>

Last torch bearer in Macao expects high from Beijing Olympic flame

    MACAO, May 3 (Xinhua) -- The Olympic torch relay will help Macao residents better understand the Olympic spirit, a Macao legislator said on Saturday.

    "I feel very happy and honored to run the last leg of the Olympic torch relay as it is a major historical event in Macao," said Leong Heng Teng, the last torch bearer of the Olympic torch relay in Macao. Full story

Macao's 1st torchbearer places Olympic dream on next generation

    MACAO, May 3 (Xinhua) -- After all the excitement subsided, sense of responsibility quickly took over Leong Hong Man, the first torchbearer of Macao leg of Beijing Olympic torch relay.

    "As a torchbearer and an athlete, I will spread the Olympic spirit with the torch I run and the heart I have," Leong, a local martial art athlete who was chosen as the first torchbearer for the Macao leg of torch relay, told Xinhua during an interview on Saturday. Full story

Beijing Olympic Flame arrives in Macao

Chui Sai On(R2), secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao Special Administrative Region, and several other officials and leaders of the Macao Olympic Committee (MOC) attend the welcoming ceremony at the Macao international airport. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    MACAO, May 3 (Xinhua) -- With flags waving and lions dancing, Macao welcomed the sacred Flame of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games that arrived here on Friday night.

    Stepping out from the chartered plane, Executive Vice President of the Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee, Yang Shu'an displayed the lantern which holds the Olympic Flame. Full story

Locals welcome the Olympic flame at the Macao international airport on Friday night. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>