Olympic torch relay reaches ancient canal in Beijing

The Olympic flame arrived in Grand Canal Forest Park in Tongzhou of east Beijing on Friday afternoon.

Former badminton Olympic champion Zhang Nan is one of the torchbearers in this leg of the relay. He said he was happy to take part, as he has never participated in the Olympic Games in China.

After the relay in the park, the Olympic flame will return to the National Stadium for the lighting of the cauldron tonight.

Tongzhou is at the northernmost end of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, the world's longest artificial waterway and a World Heritage site.