China's Olympic torch bearer to leave for Athens Holy Flame Relay

Olympic champion Luo Xuejuan will be the first Chinese torchbearer in the upcoming flame relay for the Beijing Games.

The swimming queen will receive the torch from Alexandros Nikolaidis, the first torchbearer near the Temple of Hera. On Thursday, she revealed some details of her trip to Athens.

Luo Xuejuan, first Chinese torchbearer of Beijing 2008, said, "I got the information from media originally. On Monday,I received the formal notice from the Hellenic Olympic Committee. Athens is an amazing place and seemingly has a special tie with me.I won the Olympic gold four years ago in Athens, and now it's a great honor to be a torchbearer there. I'm quite happy and my family and friends feel the same."

Luo Xuejuan's qualification was confirmed by the HOC. She has been devoting herself into public interest affairs after retirement in January 2007. Besides the Olympic gold, the 24-year-old also has five world championship titles in her collection. Luo is the first non-Greek bearing the flame outside Ancient Olympia.

"We did not have a rehearsal for the torch relay in Beijing four years ago. This time around, we must make full preparations ahead of the ritual. As we know, parts of local forest near Olympia have been destroyed. I will be there to take part in the tree-planting activity, which is in line with the 'Green Olympic' concept," Luo said.

(Source: CCTV)