The Olympic torch relay kicked off in Hangzhou city on Sunday, the third leg in East China‘s Zhejiang province.

The 15.63-kilometer Hangzhou relay, a planned four-hour tour around the West Lake, started from the city’s Great Hall of the People and end at the Dragon Sports Center.

The first torchbearer of Hangzhou leg of torch relay was former badminton star Li Lingwei, who owns 38 medals including 13 world titles.

The first runner Li Lingwei holds the torch and shows the Olympic torch to the crowds

 

 

The protectors light the torch

 

 

People go to the streets to express their support to the people suffered by the earthquake

 

 

Students wearing T-shirts supporting the Olympics

 

 

Wu Xiaoxuan lights the flame cauldron

 

With a victorious smile, the last runner Wu Xiaoxuan completed the Hangzhou leg of the 2008 Olympic torch relay on May 18 at 11:30 a.m. She lighted the flame cauldron, who is the first woman in China‘s history to take gold at an Olympic Games.

Earthquake victims were remembered at close of Hangzhou torch relay. Also at the ceremony, Wu, as the last torchbearer, represented all of the city’s torchbearers in donating over 500,000 yuan to earthquake relief efforts. Hangzhou mayor Cai Qi reported that Hangzhou‘s residents have donated over 2 million yuan to help disaster victims.

 

The donation scene

You can go to the official website of the 29th Olympic Games to see the more detailed information: http://torchrelay.beijing2008.cn/cn/journey/hangzhou/.