THE Shenzhen leg of the 2008 Beijing Paralympics torch relay will start Saturday, after a launching ceremony at the Palace of Heaven in Beijing on Thursday.

The 90-minute relay will start from the Deng Xiaoping Statue atop Lotus Hill and the torch will be carried to Splendid China <2022> China Folk Culture Villages in Overseas Chinese Town, Cai Mingyuan, head of the city’s sports bureau, said Monday.

Two routes will start the relay simultaneously Friday, covering “Modern China” and “Ancient China,” according to Beijing Olympics organizers.

Shenzhen, the first leg of the “Modern China” route, will highlight the city’s achievements since the reform and opening-up policy was adopted in 1979. The route includes Wuhan, Shanghai, Qingdao and Dalian. The “Ancient China” route will pass the Huangdi Mausoleum in Xi’an, Hohhot, Changsha, Nanjing and Luoyang.

The Paralympics will run from Sept. 9 to 17. (SD News)