Torch relay concludes in Canberra peacefully

2008-04-23 19:46:52 Xinhua English

The last torchbearer Ian Thorpe, five-time gold medalist, lights the cauldron in the Commonwealth Park of the capital city of Canberra, April 24, 2008. Canberra is the 15th stop of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games torch relay. (Xinhua Photo)

A torchbearer (R) holds the Beijing Olympic torch as it is rowed across a river during the Beijing Olympic torch relay in Canberra, Australia, April 24, 2008. Eighty torch runners will go along the 16-km route which started from Reconciliation Place in front of the old parliament house and will end at Stage 88 in Commonwealth Park. [Xinhua]

Tania Major (L), a young indigenous leader from Queensland, and Jiang Xiaoyu, Executive Vice President of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games, hold the Beijing Olympic torch before she runs the start of the torch relay in Canberra, Australia, April 24, 2008. Eighty torch runners will run along the 16-km route which started from Reconciliation Place in front of the old parliament house and will end at Stage 88 in Commonwealth Park. [Xinhua]

Aboriginals perform ahead of the torch relay in Canberra, capital of Australia, April 24, 2008. (Xinhua Photo)

Overseas Chinese supporters wave Chinese national flags during the opening ceremony for the Beijing Olympic torch relay in Canberra, Australia, April 24, 2008. [Xinhua]

CANBERRA, April 24 (Xinhua) -- The 15th leg of the global Olympic flame journey was completed here Thursday noon as scheduled without major disruptions.

Ian Thorpe, five-time gold medalist, ran as the last torch bearer and lighted the cauldron at 11:30 with loud cheers and applauses from the spectators at the Stage 88 in the Commonwealth Park in the downtown of the capital city.

During the torch relay, tens of thousands of spectators, many of them enthusiastic Chinese expatriates and students, had lined both sides of the streets, waited hours and followed the torch bearers along the route, chanting support for the Beijing Olympics.

Before the cauldron was extinguished, local and international dignitaries had praised the relay as successful and wonderful.

High security profile was in place to prevent major disruptions, with some 1,000 security personnel deployed to safeguard the historical event for Australia.

The whole ceremony lasted nearly three hours, opened with Chinese and Australian dances and songs.

Torch relay concludes in Canberra peacefully

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