Designed by the team of Lenovo Group, this torch was strongly inspired by the national symbolism, thanks to the parchment shape, the colors and the «clouds of the promises». Made of aluminum, this torch measures 72 cm (one cm for each year spent from the first torch relay in 1936), and its peculiarity lies in the red etched engravings on its rounded surface, confirming the high artistic level of traditional oriental calligraphy.

The emblem of the Games, the “dancing Beijing”, embraces the whirling element on the torch: the sports theme is represented by a stylized dancing figure that celebrates victory. 21.800 torchbearers traveled 137,000 in 129 days, passing through different cities in North and South America, Africa, Europe, Middle East, Malaysia and Australia. 204 nations, 10,942 athletes, 302 events and a new record of 100,000 volunteers. Beijing was the Games of records and superlatives. The Opening Ceremony was unforgettable; the athletes’ achievements were astonishing; the organization was excellent; the venues breathtaking and the anti-doping tests were stricter. Several hundred million watched worldwide on TV as more than 40 world records and over 130 Olympic records were broken.

There were many memorable champions: the phenomenal US swimmer Michael Phelps bettered Mark Spitz’s achievement at the 1972 Munich Games by claiming eight swimming golds and the incredible Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt broke both the 100m and 200m world records and claimed a third gold and record with the Jamaican 4 x 100m relay team. In Beijing, almost 50 years separated the oldest from the youngest athlete: Japanese horse rider Hiroshi Hoketsu took part in his third Olympic Games at the age of 67, whilst Antoinette Joyce Guedia Mouafo, a swimmer from Cameroon, participated in the Games for the first time at the tender age of 12. Opening of the Games by President of China Ju Jintao.