Chinese Special Olympics athletes Qiao Meili (second right) and Zhao Zengzeng (second left) pose with Chinese police officers Lu Yingjie (right), Li Yuyun (left) and John Newnan (back middle), US Law Enforcement Torch Run coordinator, after the flame for the Shanghai 2007 Special Olympics arrived in Washington yesterday.—Shanghai Daily

Leo Zhang/Shanghai Daily news 

The torch run of the Shanghai 2007 Special Olympics will kick off its second international phase in Washington today (Beijing time).

The flame is traveling around the world in a relay as a precursor for the Games to be held in October.

The Washington stop will cover about 12.4 kilometers and draw more than 200 Special Olympic athletes and law-enforcement officials from China and the United States.

The flame is expected to pass through a string of landmark sites in the US capital before late in the day landing at the Chinese Embassy, where a special welcoming ceremony will be held.

The US trip is especially meaningful as the Flame of Hope visited the headquarters of the Washington-based Games founder, the Special Olympics International, yesterday.

The Law Enforcement Torch Run of the Special Olympics will involve 21 cities in eight countries across the five continents.

On June 29, the flame was lit in Athens, the birthplace of the modern Olympics, and began its tour to gain public attention and respect for those with intellectual disabilities.

The "Flying Dragon" torch traveled to Egypt and Britain in the run's first international phase in early July. After the US trip, the flame will head to Japan, South Korea and Australia before arriving in China.

The torch run will reach Beijing on September 26, its first Chinese stop, and will pass through 10 other mainland cities before arriving in Shanghai on September 29.

The 2007 Special Olympic Summer Games will run from October 2 to 11 in Shanghai, which will host more than 10,000 athletes and coaches from 163 nations and regions.

More than 40,000 volunteers have been signed up.