Passing the torch
Matthew Beard of the Evening Standard said the torch will be ‘carried by 80 torchbearers, including double Olympic gold medal winner Dame Kelly Holmes, newsreader Sir Trevor McDonald and actress Amara Karan.’
The mayor’s office, which is organizing the event, said that a quarter of the torchbearers would be school children who represent the Olympics ideal. Each child will carry the torch a distance of 250meters.
The torch will pass through Almaty, Kazakhstan, Turkey's Istanbul and St Petersburg in Russia before arriving in London.
Relay route
Beginning at Wembley Stadium, where the last British Olympics were held in 1948, the torch relay will pass through Marble Arch, past the Houses of Parliament and the Olympic Park before reaching the O2 Arena from where it will go to Paris.
Passing through 23 countries this will be the longest torch relay in Olympic history.
The relay – its theme being ‘Journey of Harmony’ began at Mount Olympia in Greece on March 25. It will end in China, where after a tour through every province for three months, it will reach the Olympic venue on August 8.
British Olympic Association boss Simon Clegg said, "It is very exciting that once again London has been chosen to be part of this relay."
Londoners are encouraged to line the route to welcome the torch, cheer the torchbearers as they carry the Olympic Flame and to enjoy some free entertainment.
