BEIJING, Feb. 25 -- Shanghai has selected 416 torch carriers and 101 escorts for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Torch Relay in the city in May.

　　    The winners were chosen after a four-month competition among 2,084 applicants from all walks of life, the organizer of the relay said yesterday. Ages range from students to retirees, with a mixture of locals and foreigners.

　　    Police said they will adopt traffic controls during the relay due to take place on May 20 and 21.

　　    Shanghai's Metro authority will make plans to cope during the relay because of roads being blocked.

　　    And the Shanghai Public Security Bureau said it is working on emergency plans to ensure safety during torch-relay activities.

　　    Organizers haven't decided on the final route yet, only revealing that it will emphasize the city's historical and artistic landmarks.

　　    "The sites for the torch-lighting ceremony and relay activities will reflect the city's heritages of culture and architecture, aiming to attract more tourists from abroad," Yu Chen, head of the Shanghai Sports Administration and deputy director of the Shanghai Torch Relay Organizing Committee, said yesterday.

　　    After the torch-relay route in Shanghai is decided, it will be presented to the Beijing Olympic Games Organizing Committee for final approval.

　　    The relay of the Beijing 2008 Olympics is scheduled to begin in Greece on March 24.

　　    It will then go to Beijing and wind across Asia, Europe, the Americas, Africa, Oceania and then back to Asia and China before the torch ignites the cauldron at the opening ceremony on August 8 in Beijing's 91,000-seat National Stadium.

　　    The journey will cover 137,000 kilometers, the longest in history, and last 130 days and involve 22,000 torch bearers worldwide.

　　    The relay's China section will run from May 4 to August 8, a 97-day period that will cover almost 40,000 kilometers across the country's territory, including Hong Kong and Macau.

　　    The flame will also be carried to the summit of Zhumulangma, or Mount Everest, the world's tallest mountain, for the first time.

　　    (Source: Shanghai Daily)