http://maigoc2007.sports.sina.com.cn 2007-10-27 MAIGOC
The 2nd Asian Indoor Games Torch Relay was held at noon yesterday, where representatives from 28 NOCs have joined. Together with the 9 competition events and many other activities on the same day, the torch relay has aroused the atmosphere in the host city up to the maximum just before the opening ceremony.
Yesterday’s torch relay was held in the Sai Van Lake Plaza, where 28 chefs-de-mission, delegates and athletes from 28 NOCs gathered to celebrate. The relay starts from the Sai Van Lake Square, then to the Government’s Office, Nam Van Lake, Hotel Lisboa, Kun Ium Statue, Court of Final Appeal before it returns to the Sai Van Lake Plaza, where Chairman Manuel Silvério of MAIGOC lights the lantern as the fire seed for the opening ceremony to be held in the evening.
The Games started its first day with a busy competition schedule of 9 sports, together with more than 10 flag-raising ceremonies at the Sai Van Lake Plaza on the same day. Guests from all around the world rushed to Macao at the last minute for the exciting games. Such marathon-like activities program did not conclude until as late as 10:30 at night. Zhong Yongbiao, an observer from the Guangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee who joined the entire day of activities, said he has learned a lot from MAIGOC’s abilities to arrange, deploy and deal with contingencies.
