Beijing Olympic torch relay begins

SANYA, China, May 4 (UPI) -- Olympic short track speed skating gold medalist Yang Yang said she was excited to begin the Beijing Olympic torch relay on China's mainland Sunday.

Yang stepped up as the first torch carrier at the Fire Phoenix Square on Phoenix Island Sunday morning, Xinhua reported.

"I felt both excited and nervous to be the first torchbearer in the Chinese mainland," she said.

Yang took home two gold medals in women's short track speed skating at the Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games in 2002.

It is reported 208 people will carry the torch to Tianya Haijiao, past the Crown of Beauty Center, Haiyue Square of Sanya Gulf and Haihong Square.

The torch is scheduled travel to Wuzhishan city Monday and Hainan Province capital, Haikou, Tuesday.