China's former Olympic champions runner Wang Junxia ran her 400 meters leg in the Olympic torch relay in this historic report city on Wednesday.
The 400m run was too short for her to fully enjoy the glory andjoy of participating the Olympic event, she told Xinhua after her run.
She said that she was honored to have the chance to take part in the Olympic torch relay and she had been waiting for her turn anxiously, as the homecoming Olympic Games in Athens are unique.
She stressed that there is much difference between being a torchbearer and a competitor.
Being an athlete, the major goal is to surpass oneself in the competition for the gold medal, while the aim of taking part in the torch relay is to show the Olympic spirit and to send a message of peace, cooperation and friendship to the whole world, she said.
Wang expressed her best wish and every success to the Athens Olympic Games.
She also invited the Greeks from all walks of life to go to Beijing during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
Wang is the only Chinese athlete who is invited by the Greek local governments to take part in the torch relay in Greece.
Famous Chinese actor Pu Cunxin and former Chinese Women's soccer team captain Sun Wen participated the Olympic torch relay in northern city of Thessaloniki on July 24, as representatives ofChinese. Jackie Chan, a famous action star from Hong Kong, also took part in the torch relay in Thessaloniki on July 23. Enditem
(Xinhua News Agency August 5, 2004)
