Athletes, actors race for torch

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Wed, 09/26/2007 3:25 PM

Matheos Viktor Messakh, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Indonesian singer/presenter Dik Doank has been appointed to bear the 2008 Beijing Olympic torch when it arrives here on April 22, 2008.

Dik will be joined by three other torch bearers -- athletes and celebrities who will be selected by the public. The candidates are bodybuilder Ade Rai, swimmer Richard Sam Bera, shuttler Candra Wijaya, actress and model Luna Maya, singer Marcell, presenter Tamara Geraldine, actress Dina Olivia and racer Rifat Sungkar.

Two other candidates will be selected from among journalists who write articles on the Olympics during September and employees of PT Samsung Electronics Indonesia. The South Korean company is one of the official sponsors of the Games.

The public can vote for candidates online at www.samsung.com/id/olympic or by sending a text message to 9779. Voting is open to the public from Sept. 10 to Oct. 3. The results will be announced Oct. 8.

""It would be better to compete at the Olympics but if I can't qualify, being a torch bearer would be an honor for me,"" Candra said.

The 2000 Sydney Olympics men's doubles gold medalist, along with long-time partner Tony Gunawan, is unlikely to compete in Beijing because Tony has represented the United States for the past three years.

Samsung Indonesia also announced it would nominate eight of its employees to become torch bearers during the ceremony in China.

The Olympic torch will begin its journey around the world on March 25, 2008, starting from a lighting ceremony in Athens. In total, the torch will visit 136 countries. It will finish its journey in Beijing on Aug. 8, 2008. A total of 22,000 runners will have the chance to carry the torch.

Copyright © 2008 The Jakarta Post - PT Bina Media Tenggara. All Rights Reserved.