12. April 2004  
Kiev / Ukraine  
Artistic Gymnastics

Shakhlin to carry Olympic torch

Boris Shakhlin (UKR)

Seven time Olympic champion Boris Shakhlin (UKR) will be the first person to carry the Olympic torch when it arrives in Kiev on July 5. The 1960 Olympic and 1958 world AA champion is one of over 100 runners that will take the flame on a the 38km long journey through the streets of the Ukrainian capital. Shakhlin will hand it over to Vyacheslav Oleynik, the first Olympic champion for independant Ukraine.


In total, the Olympic torch will travel more than 78.000 km covering all five continents before returning to Greece for the Games in August.

IOC members in Ukraine Valeriy Borzov, a 1972 double Olympic sprint champion, and Sergei Bubka were present at the Lighting of the Olympic Flame on March 25 and were among the first torch bearers on the first legs of the relay in Greece.