A robot shaped like a curling stone was one of a pair of robots that performed a world-first underwater torch relay on Wednesday, the day Beijing launched the Olympic flame’s three-day journey through some of the Chinese capital’s iconic landmarks. Photo: Courtesy of CASIC

Former speedskater Luo Zhihuan, 80, China’s first winter sports world champion, runs with the torch at the Olympic Forest Park on Wednesday. Photo: VCG

Chinese astronaut Jing Haipeng, waves as he carries the torch at the Olympic Forest Park. Photo: VCG

Yao Ming (right), head of the Chinese Basketball Association and winter sports ambassador, passes on the Olympic flame to Georgios Iliopoulos, the Greek ambassador to China, at the Olympic Forest Park. Photo: IC Photo

Four-time Olympic champion Wang Meng poses for group photos with children Wednesday at the Winter Olympic Park in Beijing. Photo: Zhao Jun/China News Service, VCG

Zhang Li, the designer of the Big Air Shougang venue, runs with the torch at the Shougang Park on Wednesday. The Big Air Shougang is the sports stadium for the big air events of the Olympics. Photo: Han Haidan/China News Service, VCG

Han Qing (right), an official from Beijing’s Fengtai district, passes on the Olympic flame to Han Liping, a technician from Shanxi Aerospace Tsinghua Equipment Co. Ltd. at Shougang Park. Photo: Han Haidan/China News Service, VCG

Ice-maker Liu Boqiang, the last torch-bearer of the Shougang Park segment, bring the torch to the cauldron on Wednesday night. Photo: VCG