Glenageary native honoured at chance to carry Olympic torch

THAT OLD adage about the luck of the Irish may not be a myth after all, as a Dublin woman yesterday had the honour of carrying the Olympic torch because her name was drawn from a hat.

Jennifer O’Brien, a native of Glenageary in south Dublin, said it was a “great honour” to carry the flame for part of its journey through the Chinese city of Tianjin, but that the opportunity arose out of pure chance.

Ms O’Brien (30), who works for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Switzerland, said her chance arose when her name was luckily pulled from a hat in an office draw. “It was a big surprise and great honour to be asked to represent the IOC in China,” Ms O’Brien said. “It’s a fantastic feeling to be here in China for the Games and even better to have the chance to carry the Olympic torch.”

It has been a long journey for the torch, now nearing its final destination at the National Stadium in Beijing, having survived protests, attacks, detours and even Mount Everest.

Ms O’Brien, along with over 100 others, carried the torch as it made its way through Tianjin in northeast China.

She participated in a 10km relay which was led off by chief torchbearer Kong Xiangrui at the coal dock in the industrial city’s harbour. The route highlighted functions of the city’s newly developed coastal area, including a landmark wharf, its International Conference and Expo Centre and Taida Football Stadium.

Among the torchbearers were Li Shan from the women’s volleyball team that won gold in Athens 2004, and world martial arts champion Lang Rongbiao. The torch will move next to Sichuan Province, the region devastated by an earthquake in May. It will finally light the Olympic Cauldron next Friday at the Beijing National Stadium, which will burn until the Games end on August 24th.