Date:18/04/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/04/18/stories/2008041855481700.htm

Sport

Delhi hosts Olympic torch relay

Special Correspondent

Paes-Bhupathi carry the flame over final stretch

— Photo: Rajeev Bhatt

SPECIAL OCCASION: P.T. Usha was one of the stars who took part in the Beijing Olympic torch relay in New Delhi on Thursday.

NEW DELHI: The much-awaited Olympic Torch relay had a dramatic twist in the end as the country’s best bet for a medal in the Beijing Games, tennis stars Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi were given the honour of carrying the flame together on the final stretch and light the cauldron at India Gate here on Thursday.

“It was a wonderful experience. It was great that Mahesh and I came together and lit the flame. I have had many great moments with Mahesh and I respect each one of them. This was the pinnacle,” said Paes, quite emotional about the experience.

“I really hope so,” said Paes when it was suggested that the best may be yet to come, possibly in the form of a medal at the Beijing Games.

“It was pretty much in sync,” said Bhupathi, as he talked about carrying the torch in tandem with his best doubles partner.

Amidst tight security, barricades and traffic diversions, it proved a long wait on a hot afternoon as the Olympic torch relay began at 4.30 p.m at Vijay Chowk.

Paes echoed the sentiments of all the torch-bearers by saying, “it was well worth it. Not many people get the honour of carrying the Olympic flame in front of the whole country and the whole world.”

Stringent security

Thanks to the stringent security measures public was not to be seen on the entire stretch of Rajpath where the relay was gone through.

There was some atmosphere in the end at India Gate with organised groups of children waving flags and cheering groups of sports personalities and film stars.

The President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), Suresh Kalmadi, was quite pleased with the smooth passage of the torch.

The Secretary-General of the IOA, Randhir Singh, who handed over the torch on its final leg to Paes and Bhupathi, read out a message from the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Jacques Rogge.

“On behalf of the 17 million people of Delhi, I offer the best wishes for the Beijing Olympics,” said the Lt. Governor of Delhi, Tejender Khanna.

The Union Sports Minister, Dr. M.S. Gill took the opportunity to welcome the Olympic torch.

The Executive Vice President of the Beijing Games Organising Committee, Jiang Xiaoyu expressed his satisfaction about the smooth passage of the torch relay on the Indian leg.

“Since arrival we have been impressed by the city and the excellent arrangements made for the torch relay,” he said.

Before the flame was transferred into a lantern to continue its journey in a special flight to Bangkok, replicas of the torch were presented by Jiang Xiaoyu to Dr. Gill, the Lieutenant Governor, IOA President the Chief Minister of Delhi, Sheila Dikshit.

The Chief Minister was also presented a certificate for the city of Delhi, for hosting the torch relay.

The relay runners included athletes Milkha Singh, Gurbachan Singh Randhawa, P. T. Usha, Anju George, Shiny Wilson, M.D. Valsamma and K.M. Beenamol, hockey stalwarts Balbir Singh (Sr), Ajitpal Singh, Zafar Iqbal, M.P. Ganesh, Cdr Nandy Singh and Dhanraj Pillay, shooters Manavjit Singh and Abhinav Bindra, weightlifters Karnam Malleswari and Kunjarani Devi, table tennis player Chetan Baboor and swimmer Khajan Singh.