The Olympic torch relay concluded its visit to China's Guangdong Province yesterday in rainy weather in Shantou, one of the original Special Economic Zones of China in the 1980s.

Former weightlifting world champion Cai Yanshu, 44, was first to take the torch from a local official in the Dragon Bay District Square. Cai trained Zhang Guozheng to the Olympic championship in the 2004 Athens Games.

Cao also won gold in the men's 75kg category at the 1986 Asian Games and snatched a weight of 160kg, later grabbing the 75kg category title at the 1989 World Championships,.

"I have never won an Olympic medal but the experience of being an Olympic torchbearer makes up for it," said Cao.

"I trained Zhang Guozheng to the top of Olympic podium at the Athens Olympics and I am now honored to carry the Olympic torch. That's a consummation for me," he added.

There were 22 world champions in the 208 torchbearers yesterday, including Sun Shuwei, the 1992 Olympic champion in diving, Chen Kunxiong, a paralyzed athlete with over 20 gold medals in his career, Xu Yinchuan, a international master of Chinese chess and Chen Hanshi, who ran for a second time after the Bangkok relay last month.

Shantou Mayor Cai Zongze was last to carry the torch and lit the cauldron with Sun yesterday afternoon.

The relay in Shantou proceeded along a 36-kilometer course, traversing Bangkok Bank, Heng Mountain Road, Tai Mountain road, Train Station Square, Golden Bay Bridge, City Swimming Stadium, Golden Sand Park, Times Square, Yellow Mountain Road, Seaside Road, training base of Chinese diving team.

The highlights along the route were Golden Bay Bridge, Star Lake Park and the torch exhibition at the diving centre. The celebration ceremony took place at City People's Square.

"It's as significant to be a torchbearer as to win the Olympic gold medal," said Sun Shuwei, who won China's first diving gold at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. He was also a winner at the World Championships and World Cup.

Chen Hanshi is the only person so far to carry the Beijing Olympic torch twice after taking part in the Bangkok relay on April 19.

"It's more remarkable to carry the Olympic torch in my hometown. It's an honor endowed by my hometown and I will preserve the memory for ever," said the 73-year-old. The torch relay will continue onto Fuzhou, the capital of Fujian Province.