Russia's Yelena Isinbayeva the
women's pole vault champion is
one of those running in the Youth
Olympic Games torch relay. The
torchbearers come from 39
countries, reflecting Singapore's
cosmopolitan city and the high
level of international participation in
the Games. Picture: EPA

Malayan-born Ajit Singh, 82, will be the oldest torchbearer among the 2,400 people who will take part in the first-ever Youth Olympic Games torch relay to be held in Singapore on Saturday.

The Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee yesterday announced the torchbearers would take part in the torch relay when the flame, which was lit in Athens, arrives here on Friday.

Ajit, an executive committee member of the Singapore Olympians Association, moved to Singapore at the age of 23 and represented Malaya in hockey at the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games.

Aged 11 to 82, the committee said the majority of the torchbearers came from many sectors of Singapore society, from students and national servicemen to entertainers, social activists and people from the business community.

The torchbearers will make their way around the island republic, passing through residential areas, parks, schools, historic sites, places of interest and Singapore's financial and civic districts during the six-day torch relay covering about 300 kilometres.

Singapore is hosting the Games from Aug 14 to 26, and the city-State is expected to receive some 5,000 athletes and officials from the 205 National Olympic Committees, along with 1,200 media representatives.

Also running in the relay are torchbearers from 39 countries, reflecting Singapore's cosmopolitan city and the high level of international participation in the Games.

Other torchbearers include international athletes like Russia's Yelena Isinbayeva the women's pole vault champion and Sergey Bubka, who is also the International Olympic Committee's Coordination Commission Chairman for the first Summer Youth Olympic Games.

Courtesy from Brunei Times