Warming Up To The Olympic Torch:

As Delhi prepares to become a part of the relay for the first time, it’s an occasion to build for India’s 2016 bid...

Less than three months away as the Olympic fervour builds up momentum, Delhi is bracing up to become a part of Olympic history with the torch relay set to pass here on June 10. Carrying the message Pass The Flame, Unite The World, the Olympic torch has already begun its journey from Olympia, Greece. Delhi is amongst the select 33 cities across the world where the torch would pass through.

“The torch passes through cities which are hoping to host the Olympics and therefore this is an occasion we are eagerly waiting for as we are bidding for the 2016 Olympics,” says Suresh Kalmadi, president Indian Olympic Association. Through this torch relay we want to highlight how strong is our bid for the 2016 Olympics, he adds.

Stressing on the need to put up a good show, Mr Kalmadi says, “The torch would be arriving from Beijing and I know for sure that China is doing their best to make the relay a huge success. Therefore we need to put up an equally or even better show.” We can’t be lagging behind and we are going to put up our best as the whole world will be watching us, he says.

Agreeing with him, Lovely Singh, minister for arts and culture, Delhi government, says, “As we are hosting the Commonwealth Games in 2010, this event should give us an opportunity to showcase our cultural heritage and how strong is our commitment to host the Olympics.”

As for the sponsors Samsung and Coca Cola the event is another opportunity to showcase their commitment to the Olympic movement, and India in particular. “June 10 will be a momentous day for all of us Indians,” says Sunil Gupta, vice-president, Coca Cola India. “This event is a precursor of things to come in future,” he says.

“Coke has been associated with Olympics since 1928, but this would be the first time that Coca Cola India would be associated directly with an Olympic event,” he says. “We have been the sponsors of Indian contingent to the 2002 Busan Asian Games, and would only be privileged to be associated with the Indian Olympic movement in future also,” he says, adding his company is committed towards IOA’s future endeavours such as the Commonwealth Games in 2010 and the bid for the Olympics in 2016.

Similarly Samsung, also a global partner of the Athens Olympics 2004, the Olympic torch relay in Delhi would enable to strengthen its support to Indian sports. “Last year we kicked off our Olympic programme for India by providing Olympic Ratna to five top athletes, which contributed towards their preperation for this year’s Olympics,” says K S Kim, managing director Samsumg India Ltd. He hopes that the torch relay would further strengthen the Olympic movement in India.

Further outlining the company’s commitment to support Olympic sports, Ravinder Zutshi, director Samsung Electronics India Ltd says, “Our relationship with IOA has been a long standing one. We are the sponsors of Indian contingent to this year’s Athens Olympics and we would continue to do so in the years to come.”

The Olympic torch relay will start from Qutab Minar and pass a 33.2 km long route covering most of the city’s historical places such as the Red Fort, Humayun’s Tomb, Lutyen’s Delhi etc before culminating at the National Stadium.

Leading sports personalities would be amongst the 105 torch bearers. Ace shooters Anjali Bhagwat, Jaspal Rana, weight lifter Karnam Malleswari, cricketers Rahul Dravid, Irfan Pathan, Virender Sehwag, former India cricket captain Kapil Dev, former hockey stalwarts Zafar Iqbal, M P Ganesh and legendary athlete Milkha Singh are amongst the prominent torch bearers.

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Originally posted by:
"Can anyone tell..whats wrong with the picture below? ================================ Athens 2004 - Olympic Torch Relay Programme Pass the flame, Unite the World! The International Route of the Athens 2004 Torch Relay (Source: ATHOC) Official Sponsors of the Athens 2004 Torch Relay: Coca-Cola Samsung The Athens 2004 Torch Relay, the first truly global Olympic Torch Relay, will travel around the world in 65 days. The programme was proposed by Athens 2004 (ATHOC) to the Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) who unanimously approved it. Olympic Torch Relay Route Order (before returning to Greece) The Olympic flame will travel from Ancient Olympia, where the Games were born in 776 BC, to all five continents for the first time in a 78-day return journey. The Torch Relay will last 65 days and will travel along the following route: Ancient Olympia (March 25th, 2004) - Athens (Panathenian Stadium) - Sydney (June 4th) - Melbourne (June 5th) - Tokyo (June 6th) - Seoul (June 7th) - Beijing (June 8th) - Delhi (June 10th) - Cairo (June 11th) - Cape Town (June 12th) - Rio de Janeiro (June 13th) - Mexico City (June 15th) - Los Angeles (June 16th) - St. Louis (June 17th) - Atlanta (June 18th) - New York (June 19th) - Montreal (June 20th) - Antwerp - Brussels (June 22nd) - Amsterdam (June 23rd) - Geneva (June 24th) - Lausanne (June 24th) - Paris (June 25th) - London (June 26th) - Barcelona (June 27th) - Rome (June 28th) - Munich (June 29th) - Berlin (June 30th) - Stockholm (July 1st) - Helsinki (July 2nd) - Moscow (July 3rd) - Kiev (July 5th) - Istanbul (July 6th) - Sofia (July 7th) - Nicosia (July 8th). "

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IT DOESN'T SHOW IT GOING THROUGH INDIA !!!