olympic flame lit in ancient olympia --Ӣ��

Special report: 2008 Olympic Games

The head priestess, Greece's actress Maria Nafpliotou, raises the torch of Olympic flame during the flame lighting ceremony for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games held in Olympia, Greece, March 24, 2008.(Xinhua/Retuers Photo)
Photo Gallery>>>

OLYMPIA, Greece, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Greece's actress Maria Nafpliotou, the head priestess, lit the torch in the Olympic flame-lighting ceremony for the Beijing Games at the site of ancient Olympia on Monday. Full story

Greek actress Maria Nafpliotou (R), playing the role of a high priestess, kindles a pot with the Olympic flame during the Olympic Flame Lighting Ceremony in Olympia, Greece, March 24, 2008. (Xinhua Photo)
Photo Gallery>>>

Group Photos: Flame lighting ceremony for 29th Olympic Games

Chinese Luo takes Olympic torch

Athens Olympic champion swimmer Luo Xuejuan (R) runs during the torch relay of the Beijing Olympic Games in Olympia of Greece on March 24, 2008. (Xinhua Photo)

OLYMPIA, Greece, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Athens Olympic champion swimmer Luo Xuejuan of China took the Olympic torch from Greek taekwondo athlete Alexandros Nikolaidis in ancient Olympia on Monday. Full story

Retired swimmer Luo proud to be first Chinese torchbearer

The first torchbearer, Greek taekwondo athlete Alexandros Nikolaidis(R), silver medalist in the Athens Olympics, kindles the torch in hand of former Chinese swimmer Luo Xuejuan(L), Athens Olympics gold medalist, during the torch relay of the Beijing Olympic Games in Olympia of Greece on March 24, 2008. (Xinhua Photo)

OLYMPIA, Greece, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Luo Xuejuan, formerly dubbed the "Queen in the Pool" before her retirement from swimming last year, felt extremely proud of being the first Chinese to bear the flame of Beijing Olympic Games here on Monday. Full story

World athletes hail torch relay as flame lit up

The head priestess, Greece's actress Maria Nafpliotou (L) , kindles the torch in hand of Greek taekwondo athlete Alexandros Nikolaidis (R) during the flame lighting ceremony for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games held in Olympia, Greece, March 24, 2008. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

BEIJING, March 24 (Xinhua) -- World athletes hailed the torch relay of the Beijing Olympic Games as the flame was lit up in Ancient Olympia and started its international tour on Monday.

The Beijing Olympics flame was lit in an official ceremony at the birthplace of the ancient Olympics. Full story

Olympic flame lights up spirit among Chinese sportsmen

Chinese Olympic torchbearer Deng Yaping (C) holds the torch for the Beijing Olympic Games during the torch relay held in Olympia, Greece, March 24, 2008. (Xinhua Photo)

BEIJING, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese sportsmen have been highly spirited after the flame for this summer's Beijing Olympic Games was lit up in Ancient Olympia on Monday.

"It starts the torch relay and marks the countdown of the Olympic Games on our home turf," said former Chinese Olympian Lang Ping, now the head coach of the U.S. women's national volleyball team. Lang will be one of the torchbearers during the flame's international relay in North America. Full story