CHANGCHUN: Wang Chunlu, a Winter Games silver medallist, lit the cauldron on Monday at Changchun World Sculpture Park, marking the end of the Olympic torch relay here in the capital of Jilin province.

 

Wang Jiaqi, a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, was the first torchbearer.

"I have been longing for the Olympic Games since I was a child, and I am very honored to be a torchbearer," Wang said.

A specialist in optical instrument research, 68-year-old Wang has participated in the design of Chinese spacecrafts, including Shenzhou V and Shengzhou VI.

"Wang is representative of Changchun's growing talent in the field of science and technology, a reminder that Changchun, as well as being a cradle for the automobile and film industries, is a city of science and technology," Zhen Wenzhi, vice-mayor of the city, said.