MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Buenos Aires gives the Olympic flame a rest and new spirit

Tennis Hall of Fame Gabriela Sabatini

The Olympic flame relay through Buenos Aires City on Friday was cheered by thousands of jubilant Argentines who turned out to the streets in support of the Beijing Olympic Games to be held next August in China.

Tennis Hall of Fame Gabriela Sabatini, Gaby, running down a long carpet into the hall of an equestrian club, where she ignited a flame in a giant metal bowl gave the final touch to a brilliant event.

"I'm supercharged with emotion," she said. "It's a great honour for me to have been chosen for the last lap; it's so impressive to see how people have experienced this." People showered the parade route with confetti as banks, government offices and businesses took an impromptu half-day holiday for the only South American stop on the flame's five-continent journey from Ancient Olympia to the Beijing Games next August. Small groups of fenced-off demonstrators protesting China's human rights record exchanged jeers with hundreds of pro-China demonstrators, but there were no major disruptions in the two and half hours, thirteen kilometres relay. Buenos Aires City Mayor Mauricio Macri took the torch from Chinese organizers and opened the relay by passing it to three-time Olympic windsurfing medallist Carlos Espinola, who jogged into Buenos Aires streets flanked by Chinese bodyguards. Another torchbearer climbed into a shell and rowers sped the flame down a muddy River Plate canal. Back on land, runners jogged past the Casa Rosada presidential palace and the iconic Obelisk. Heavy security accompanied the torch. About 1.300 federal police, 1.500 naval police and 3.000 traffic police plus volunteers guarded the route, and at least four security layers protected the torchbearers. "After having witnessed this event which was impeccable I would like to underline the pride I feel of showing the world what the Argentine people are capable of; their culture, education, respect for other peoples and for other ideas", said Argentina's Olympic Committee vicepresident Alicia Morea. She added it was "sad the torch with the Olympic flame had to leave Argentina" but "we are most happy because the flame far from going off, will be travelling to other continents to continue to spread the Olympic message and values". At the closing ceremony, Liu Jingmin vice president of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Organization Committee thanked the Argentine people and authorities for having hosted the torch's relay and contributed to make the occasion a real festivity. About 500 China supporters in red windbreakers handed out by organizers waved banners and denounced the political protests that disrupted the flame's last stops in London, Paris and San Francisco. Protesters say China doesn't deserve to host the Olympics because of its human rights record, its harsh rule in Tibet and its friendly ties with Sudan. The flame heads next to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, the flame's only stop in Africa. Liu Qi, head of the Beijing Olympics Organizing Committee, told senior International Olympics Committee officials in Beijing on Friday that additional steps had been taken to protect the flame and IOC spokeswoman Giselle Davies said "we're very confident and comfortable with that."