OLYMPIC TORCH ARRIVES IN L.A. TODAY 180 RUNNERS WILL RELAY FLAME TO CITYWALK.Byline: Rick Orlov Staff Writer For Mayre Torres, a San Fernando High School San Fernando High School, located in San Fernando, California, is a secondary school that is a part of the Los Angeles Unified School District. The school colors are black and gold. All girl teams are referred to as Lady Tigers, all boy teams simply as Tigers. senior and cross-country athlete, carrying the Olympic torch today marks the culmination of a dream. ``I am very, very, very, very excited,'' Torres, 18, said at a City Hall news conference to celebrate today's torch run through the city on its way to Salt Lake City. ``I am beyond elated. I haven't slept for days.'' Torres will be one of 180 people, each carrying the torch for two-tenths of a mile in the city, in a route that begins at 11 a.m. at Olvera Street Olvera Street is in the oldest part of Downtown Los Angeles, California, and is otherwise known as the birthplace of the City of Angels or El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historic Monument and is a department within the city. . The route winds through Boyle Heights and South Central, arriving at 1 p.m. at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum For board track racing circuit, see . Present use The Coliseum is now primarily the home of the USC Trojan football team. During the recent stretch of its success in football, most of USC's regular home games, especially the alternating games with rivals UCLA and Notre - site of the 1932 and 1984 Olympic Games Olympic games, premier athletic meeting of ancient Greece, and, in modern times, series of international sports contests. The Olympics of Ancient Greece Although records cannot verify games earlier than 776 B.C. - and then through Koreatown and, at 7 p.m., out to Universal City's CityWalk, where a giant celebration is planned. At the end, two-time Olympian Rafer Johnson Rafer Lewis Johnson (born August 18, 1935) is a former American decathlete. Johnson was born in Hillsboro, Texas, but moved to Kingsburg, California at age 9. In high school, he played on the school's football, baseball and basketball teams. - who lighted the Olympic flame The Olympic Flame, Olympic Fire, Olympic Torch, Olympic Light, Olympic Eye, and Olympic Sun is a symbol of the Olympic Games. Commemorating the theft of fire from the Greek god Zeus by Prometheus, its origins lie in ancient Greece, when a fire to start the 1984 Games - will pass the torch to actor Arnold Schwarzenegger Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (German pronunciation (IPA): [ˈaɐ̯nɔlt ˈaloɪ̯s ˈʃvaɐ̯ʦənˌʔɛɡɐ] for the lighting of the Olympic caldron. ``Any time the Olympic torch is in town, you can count on me,'' Johnson told Mayor James Hahn during the City Hall event. Hahn said no streets will be closed during the run, but the torch bearers will be escorted by California Highway Patrol officers along the route. ``It's hard to believe it's only been 18 years since Los Angeles hosted the Olympics - one of the bright spots in our city history,'' Hahn said. ``Los Angeles was fortunate enough to host two Olympics, and I think the 1984 Games showed the Olympics could be run without having a host city run up a huge deficit. I think we saved the modern Olympics movement.'' Johnson, now 67, represented the United States in the 1956 and 1960 Olympic Games. He said the thrill of carrying the torch and remaining involved has never waned. ``To carry this torch is a great honor,'' Johnson said. ``I will never forget the feeling of pride I had in 1984 when I was able to light the Olympic flame at the Coliseum.'' For Torres of Pacoima, who was nominated by her teachers and Council President Alex Padilla, the torch run is something she says she will never forget. ``I dreamed about this but never thought it would happen,'' said Torres, who also is involved in the Student Run L.A. program for the Los Angeles Marathon The Los Angeles Marathon is an annual marathon held in Los Angeles, California since 1986. It was inspired by the success of the 1984 Summer Olympics held in Los Angeles. The race starts at about 8:15AM and runs through Downtown Los Angeles, Koreatown, the Crenshaw district, and . Special programs are being held throughout the day to commemorate the torch run. Mariachi bands will perform at Olvera Street to kick off the event, a luncheon will be held at the Coliseum and a children's choir will perform at CityWalk to end the day's events. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Cyclist Lance Armstrong carries the Olympic flame through Embarcadero Park in San Diego on Monday. Today, it reaches Los Angeles. Denis Denis, king of Portugal: see Diniz. Poroy/Associated Press |
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