APC President to Take Part in Asian Para Games Torch Relay

Members of the Asian Paralympic Committee (APC) will take part in the 2010 Asian Para Games Torch Relay on Friday (10 December) as it continues its seven day long journey through the host city Guangzhou ahead of Sunday’s (12 December) Opening Ceremony.

Led by APC President Dato’ Zainal Abo Zarin, members of the Executive Board together with a number of APC employees, will act as torchbearers covering a distance of around 80m each.

Lit last Saturday (4 December) by China’s Vice President Xi Jinping, the Torch arrived in Guangzhou on Sunday (5 December) and was welcomed in the city centre by members of the community and a local deaf dance troupe.

During the welcoming ceremony Zhang Guangning, Secretary of the Guangzhou Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China handed the torch to the first torch bearer Fu Hongzhi, a gold medalist in archery at the Beijing Paralympics. Sunday also marked International Volunteer Day and Bai Yansong, a prominent Chinese new anchor and Volunteer Image Ambassador for the Asian Para Games, participated in the Torch Relay.

By the time it reaches the Aoti Main Stadium, the venue of Sunday’s Opening Ceremony, a total of 660 torchbearers, including 20 who carried the torch in Beijing on 4 December, will have been involved in the Torch Relay.

The 2010 Asian Para Games kick off this Sunday until 19 December and will involve more than 2,500 athletes from 41 nations making it the biggest Paralympic event in the world since the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games.

In total athletes will compete in 19 sports which are as follows: Archery, Athletics, Badminton, Boccia, Cycling, Football 5-a-side, Football 7-a-side, Goalball, Judo, Powerlifting, Rowing, Shooting, Swimming, Table Tennis, Ten Pin Bowling, Volleyball (sitting), Wheelchair Basketball, Wheelchair Fencing, Wheelchair Tennis.