Hangzhou, September 9 (Zhongxin Net) -- On September 8, the Hangzhou Asian Games torch relay was launched in Hangzhou. On the first day, 9 torchbearers participated in the relay, including several Olympic champions.
Olympic champion Luo Xuejuan. Photo by Wang Yifei
The first member of the torch relay was Luo Xuejuan, the women's breaststroke world champion and Olympic champion. A native of Hangzhou, she won the women's breaststroke championship at the World Swimming Championships, won the women's 1m breaststroke championship at the 2004 Athens Olympics and set an Olympic record in this event.
In an interview with Chinanews.com, Luo Xuejuan issued an invitation to athletes from all Asia. "I believe that all Hangzhou people and all Zhejiang people are ready, and 6500 million people in Zhejiang are looking forward to this grand event, hoping that if all Asian athletes have the opportunity, they can go outside the competition venue and outside the Asian Games Village to experience it and feel the enthusiasm of Hangzhou and Zhejiang."
Former Chinese women's volleyball national team captain Hui Ruoqi took over the baton at the 6th base. In the final of the women's volleyball team at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, she scored the winning goal to help the Chinese women's volleyball team win gold.
44th baseman Song Maoxuan is a Paralympic champion. A former swimmer from Tonglu, Hangzhou, he lost his right arm in an accident at the age of 8, became an Asian Para champion at the age of 17 and a Paralympic champion at the age of 19, winning eight Paralympic medals.
Yang Qian (left) participates in the torch relay. Photo by Wang Gang
The last pass of the day was Olympic champion Yang Qian. In the women's 10m air rifle shooting event at the Tokyo Olympics, she won the first gold medal for the Chinese sports delegation at the Tokyo Olympics and set a new Olympic final record in this event.
After participating in the torch relay, Yang Qian also sent out precious memories of that day in her "circle of friends". In an interview with Chinanews.com, she said, "Today's torch relay shows the enthusiasm of the people of Hangzhou, and I am honored to participate in it as the last stick of the first day of the torch relay, and I believe that the Hangzhou Asian Games will have more wonderful displays to the world." ”
In addition, many world champions and Asian champions participated in the day's relay, including shooting world champions Lin Junmin and Wang Xian, e-sports world champion Zhu Bocheng, and Wang Shuang from the Chinese women's football team. (End)