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Olympians Catriona Le May Doan and Simon Whitfield first torchbearers at start of Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay's 45,000-kilometre journey across Canada
Olympians Catriona Le May Doan and Simon Whitfield first torchbearers at start of Vancouver 2010 ...
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[{"type":"text","content":"\n\n\n\nOct. 30, 2009 (Canada NewsWire Group) -- VICTORIA, Oct. 30 /CNW/ -- The Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay is officially underway with medal-winning Olympians Simon Whitfield and Catriona Le May Doan revealed today as the first torchbearers to hold the Olympic Flame aloft on Canadian soil at the start of the historic 106-day journey.They were quickly joined in their torch bearing duties by fellow Canadian Olympic medallists, rower Silken Laumann and diver Alexandre Despatie as the flame set out on Day 1 of its odyssey across Canada.Each pair jointly held the flame as they jogged through the crowds on the grounds and nearby streets of the British Columbia Parliament Buildings in Victoria, BC, where a public welcoming ceremony was held for the arrival of the Olympic Flame from Greece.Whitfield, a triathlon star and hometown hero in Victoria, won the first ever gold medal in triathlon at the Sydney 2000 Games and silver at the Beijing 2008 Games, while speed skater Le May Doan is the only Canadian to ever repeat as a gold medallist in two consecutive Olympic Games. Victoria rower Laumann has medalled at three Olympic Games including a courageous bronze in 1992 following a serious injury, while Despatie is a two-time medallist and the first Canadian man to win an Olympic diving medal.The four athletes, chosen as role models who have inspired the nation, embody the Olympic Spirit and continue to make Canadians proud as they strive for excellence both on and off the field of play.Upon the relay's conclusion on February 12, 2010 with the start of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, the flame will have burned brightly in over 1,030 Canadian communities and reached within 900 kilometres of the North Pole.\"The flame embodies the Olympic ideals of excellence, friendship and respect. These values resonate deeply with all Canadians,\" said Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada, as he welcomed the flame at the public ceremony in downtown Victoria.\"The Olympic Flame will be travelling across Canada on the longest torch relay within a single country in Olympic history. With nearly 200 communities across Canada participating in local celebrations, this is a chance for Canadians from all parts of our great nation to share in the excitement as we count down to the Games' opening day.\"With the glow of the Olympic Flame guiding th...