China's "flying man" Liu Xiang and former speed skater Yang Yang (B) will represent China in the Torch Relay at the upcoming Turin Winter Olympic Games.

Liu is the Athens men's 110m hurdles winner and Yang Yang (B) is a retired speed skater who took part in three Winter Olympic Games. Two Chinese university students will join the sporting celebrities in the torch relay which is scheduled for next Wednesday in Florence, Italy.

The torch relay for the Turin Winter Games started Thursday in the Italian capital, Rome. The sacred flame will be carried through some 300 cities and towns across Italy before it reaches Turin on February 9th 2006, just prior to the opening of the Winter Games.

(CRI December 9, 2005)