Guangzhou : A flotilla of 45 boats adorned with LED lights will ferry thousands of athletes down the Pearl River and into what is certain to be a spectacular Asian Games opening ceremony featuring 6,000 performers.Organizers said athletes and coaches will cruise along the river in boats bedecked with colorful lights, taking in sights of this southern Chinese city before arriving at the specially built island venue. The theme of the ceremony is water, and it will showcase local culture through music, lights and fireworks, he said.The 16th Asian Games Torch Relay continues in Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Centre.

The 15.2-kilometre relay was finished by 130 torchbearers from all walks of life. Li Li, Head of the Leading Group of the University Town Venue of the Command Centre for the Guangzhou 2010 Asian Games and Asian Para Games, Deputy Director of Guangzhou Municipal Standing Committee, and Yang Wu, Director of the Torch Relay Operation Centre and Deputy Director of Guangzhou Municipal Standing Committee, as well as Gong Erzhen, Deputy Commander of the Opening and Closing Ceremony Command Centre of the Guangzhou 2010 Asian Games and Asian Para Games, Deputy Mayor of Guangzhou, attended the kickoff ceremony of the Torch Relay today. Gong gave a speech on behalf of the Guangzhou Asian Games Organising Committee (GAGOC).

“The Asian Games is a common festival to all of the Asian people and also a sports gala that promotes peace and development. Under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Central Committee and the State Council and the guidance of the Guangdong Provincial Committee, Provincial Government and the General Administration of Sport of China, we are sure that the Guangzhou Asian Games will be a unique one which is harmonious, green and civilised!” she said.Li Li lighted up the torch after the flame was escorted to the site by flame guards, transferred it to the No.1 torchbearer Yang Yang, the former Olympic Champion well-known for her short-track speed skating, and announced the start of the relay in Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Centre. Over 3,000 people, including officials from the Guangdong Provincial Department of Science and Technology, the Committee of Panyu District, the Government of Panyu District and colleges and universities, reporters as well as the general public, have taken part in the launching ceremony today.

The final torchbearer Zhong Nanshan, one of the academicians of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, ran with vigorous strides into the site for the flame collection ceremony at 12:00am. Cao Jianliao, member of the Guangzhou Asian Para Games General Headquarters and Deputy Mayor of Guangzhou, took over the torch on the platform, and lit up the cauldron together with Zhong. Authorised by Huang Huahua, Deputy Secretary of the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the CPC and Governor of Guangdong Province, Song Hai, Vice Governor of Guangdong Province delivered a speech at the flame collection ceremony on behalf of GAGOC, and presented souvenirs and certificates to Guangzhou. “It is both China and Guangzhou’s honour to hold the 16th Asian Games, which gives new drives to the development of Guangzhou. Guangzhou is reaching out to the world with a more positive and more open stance. The 16th Asian Games will open in Guangzhou tomorrow evening, so let’s wish it a complete success together. I hope the blazing flame could share the enthusiasm and happiness with all the other Asian people, bring them with peace, friendship, health and happiness.” he said.Accompanied by the theme song Pass the Love for the Torch Relay, the flame guards collected the flame from the cauldron and kept it in a safety lantern, which represented the end of the relay. The last five torchbearer of the 16th Asian Games will relay the torch to the Opening Ceremony to light up the main torch today – Dailymailnews