Paralympic torch relay begins in Beijing

Fencer Jin Jing, centre, passes on the flame during Thursday's ceremony to begin the Paralympic torch relay in Beijing. (Associated Press)

The final road to the 2008 Paralympic Games began Thursday with the lighting of the Paralympic flame at Beijing's Temple of Heaven.

The ceremony touched off a nine-day torch relay across China ahead of the Sept. 6-17 Games.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao lit a cauldron to officially start the relay after receiving the flame from a line of dignitaries including Paralympic fencer Jin Jing and Liu Qiu, head of the Beijing Olympics organizing committee.

Also present at the ceremony were Chinese Vice-President Xi Jinping, and Zhou Yongkong, a senior official of the Communist Party of China.

"This flame will symbolize over the next 10 days the unique sporting spirit portrayed by Paralympic athletes. This spirit overcomes many obstacles in the pursuit of sporting excellence," said International Paralympic Committee president Philip Craven.

Some 4,000 disabled athletes from around the world will compete in the Paralympics.

Beijing has been undergoing a transition in the 12 days between the end of the Olympic Games and the start of the Paralympics. Posters, emblems and mascots are being changed in the 13 competition venues, the Media Village and the Olympic Village, which is being renamed the Paralympic Village.

According to the Beijing organizing committee, half of all tickets for the Paralympic events have been sold. All events at the Bird's Nest Stadium and the Water Cube are already sold out.

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Paralympic torch relay begins in Beijing

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