Olympic torch relay enters Nagano city

February 5, 1998

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From the Olympics Toword Tomorrow

Olympic torch relay enters Nagano city

The Olympic torch relay, arriving by three different routes, made its entry into the city of Nagano Thursday, two days before the start of the 18th Olympic Winter Games.

The torch runners carried the Olympic flame to Nagano Station on Thursday afternoon, cheered by a throng of people lining the streets -- some since morning -- for the last stage of the monthlong relay.

The torch relay entered the Olympic host city from Suzaka in the west, Togakushi in the northwest and Koshoku in the south.

The flame, which has traversed all of Japan's 47 prefectures after being divided into three Jan. 6, will go on a final run around the city Friday before being recombined at Central Square for the Games' opening ceremony the next day.

More than 440 runners, including support and escort runners, will cover the combined 50 kilometers within the city.

The final torch bearers will be Kristi Yamaguchi, figure-skating gold medalist in the 1992 Albertville Olympics, Yuko Emoto, judo gold medalist in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, and Masae Nakamura, nee Kasai, a member of Japan's volleyball team in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

(Kyodo News)

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