103-year-old Torch Bearer Hopeful Loses Bid

Sometime in June 2007, recruiting 21,880 torchbearers for the 2008 Olympic torch relay started. 19,400 torchbearers will come from mainland China. The oldest among the applicants was Cao Zuozheng. Cao, a 103-year old Beijing native came up with the idea in 2004 when she had a photo taken of her with a Chinese torchbearer for the Athens Games. She waited three hours in her wheelchair on the roadside to watch the relay in Beijing. To get physically fit, Cao started exercising in 2004, walking about 300 meters twice a day with a stick. She also insists on washing her hair with cold water, which she says keeps her healthy. During the last week of last month, the 103-year-old Beijinger, the only candidate from her residential community, was recommended to Beijing's Dongcheng District authority. Her family had kept their fingers crossed that Cao could become the oldest ever torchbearers selected across the world.

Unfortunately, authorities turned down her application because of obvious health reasons. Her family hadn't told her of the bad news for fear she might take it badly & her health might worsen. On another story, an 89-year old Chongqing male native won his own bid to carry the torch.

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