Representatives from five continents demonstrate the flame at the Tsinghua University in Beijing, capital of China, April 25, 2011. The World University Games flame was kindled on Monday in Beijing. The southern Chinese city of Shenzhen will host the 26th Summer Universiade from Aug.12 to 23. (Xinhua/Gong Lei)

 

BEIJING, April 25 (Xinhua) -- The World University Games flame was kindled on Monday at the prestigious Tsinghua University in Beijing.

The southern Chinese city of Shenzhen will host the 26th Summer Universiade from Aug.12 to 23.

A torch relay will be held in Peking University on May 4, the date to start the 100-day countdown to the games.

Shenzhen, the southern boomtown that neighbors Hong Kong, won't repeat the Olympic or Asian Games scale of torch relay as it aims to cut costs and go "green".

The torch will be carried through Shenzhen University on May 15 and will be relayed five days later in a cluster of universities in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong Province that encompasses Shenzhen.

A two-day final relay will be run in the host city before the games officially open on Aug. 12, with the first day relay mostly featuring local residents and the second day international participants.

The Shenzhen games is expected to attract 12,000 to 13,000 participants from over 180 countries and regions.

Representatives from five continents collect the flame at the Tsinghua University in Beijing, capital of China, April 25, 2011. The World University Games flame was kindled on Monday in Beijing. The southern Chinese city of Shenzhen will host the 26th Summer Universiade from Aug.12 to 23.

(Xinhua/Gong Lei)

Guards collect the flame into the lantern at the Tsinghua University in Beijing, capital of China, April 25, 2011. The World University Games flame was kindled on Monday in Beijing. The southern Chinese city of Shenzhen will host the 26th Summer Universiade from Aug.12 to 23. (Xinhua/Gong Lei)