YOUTH OLYMPIC GAMES TORCHBEARERS TO RUN SIX DAYS IN SINGAPORE

By Zakaria Abdul Wahab

SINGAPORE, July 7 (Bernama) -- Singapore, which will host the inaugural
Youth Olympic Games (YOG) next month, has lined up 2,400 people to carry the
games flame in a six-day torch relay in the island republic.

The torchbearers will pass through residential areas, parks, schools,
historic sites, places of interests and Singapore's financial and civic
districts before the Singapore 2010 YOG officially starts on Aug 14.

Announcing the route for Singapore's largest and longest-ever torch relay
Wednesday, the Singapore YOG Organising Committee said the relay, which would
start on Aug 7, covered a whopping distance of 305km, equivalent to travelling
the entire length of the island six times.

To boost the excitement of the torch relay, the organisers have included a
trip to the Sentosa resort island where a torchbearer would go on 'flying fox'
and whizz down over a jungle canopy from a height of 72 metres above sea level.

Other highlights include a run through the Singapore Zoo, Singapore
Botanical Gardens and the flame being transported in unusual ways by
torchbearers, such as on a bicycle and dragon boat.

The organisers are also planning to take the torchbearers across the water
of Marina Reservoir from the Merlion Park to the pier in front of Singapore's
latest integrated resort, the Marina Bay Sands, which is also the official main
media centre of the games.
-- BERNAMA