Olympic torch starts Anshan tour

The torch relay for 2008 Beijing Olympic Games continues on Friday in Liaoning Province, this time in Anshan.

The 7.8 kilometer relay route started at Anshan's Yufoshan Square at 8:00 am and will end in front of the Anshan First High School. Wang Yifu, head coach of the Chinese national shooting team, and the country's most experienced Olympian with six successive appearances from 1984 to 2004, carried the torch as the first runner. The 175 torch bearers also include other Olympic champions such as Sun Fuming, Song Nina and Yuan Hua.

The city of Anshan, with a area of more than 9,000 square kilometers and a population of over 3 million, is famous for its steelmaking, jade mining, and Yangge dancing.