LAUSANNE, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- Torch relay hit the Lausanne streets on Wednesday as the Olympic capital is ready to embrace the opening of the 3rd Winter Youth Olympic Games that will kick off on Thursday.
In the one-day relay, 200 torchbearers covered a 20.20-kilometer distance.
The relay started from Vallee de la Jeunesse, then visited the International Olympic Committee (IOC) headquarters before arriving at the Olympic Museum.
"It's a really important day for us," said the Lausanne 2020 President Virginie Faivre, also the first torchbearer of the day.
"It's the last travel of the flame before the opening ceremony and the last chance for spectators to be close to and follow it. This day is a great celebration of the Olympic flame," added Faivre.
Couples of kids from schools nearby accompanied Faivre during her running, which made her pretty impressed.
"To be followed down the stretch by the kids was very touching and heart feeling," she said, adding that "the Youth Olympic Games are for the youth, by the youth and with the youth. That's how it illustrates the feelings here."
Faivre then passed the flame to Cedric Haldi, a Lausanne local working for the IOC as an intern.
"Lausanne is my city, I was born here. So I'm proud to be part of it," Haldi said with a smile.
"It's very beautiful that kids were running with me. It's important for the Youth Olympic Games to involve the kids," he added.
Christelle Boivin is a BMX rider. She brought the flame to the Olympic Five Rings statue in front of the IOC headquarter.
"It's amazing to be here in front of the IOC headquarters. It's incredible," she said.
Morning's session was brought to a conclusion at the Olympic Museum around 12 pm. The relay turned into the city center in the afternoon.
The Lausanne Winter Youth Olympic Games will run from January 9 to 22.
