2000 Olympic Champion and 2001 World Champion Rulon Gardner to Carry 2002 Olympic Torch Feb. 2

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Heather Van Peursem (USA Wrestling)
01/31/2002


2000 Olympic Champion and 2001 World Champion Rulon Gardner   to Carry the 2002 Olympic Torch in Glenwood Springs, Colo. Saturday, Feb. 2    2000 Olympic Champion and 2001 World Champion Rulon Gardner (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) will carry the 2002 Olympic torch through Glenwood Springs, Colo. Feb. 2. Glenwood Springs is approximately 150 miles west of Denver on Interstate 70.     Torch bearers like Gardner were anonymously nominated through a process of submitting a 50-to-100 word essay on how the person has inspired others.     "I am honored to be carrying the Olympic Torch in Colorado," said Gardner. "It's kind of mind boggling to think about doing it, but it's great to be a wrestler and to be honored to take part in the Winter Olympic movement as well. I'm glad to be representing the great sport of wrestling."    Each torch bearer will carry the torch for 0.2 miles - giving the torch an average journey of 208 miles per day.     The Olympic Flame was ignited in late November 2001 in Olympia, Greece, by the sun's rays and kept in a lantern that travels with the relay. The 2002 Olympic Torch Relay began its 65-day journey on December 4, 2001, in Atlanta, Ga. - the last site of the Olympic Flame on American soil. The relay travels more than 13,500 miles through 46 states.    To see an interactive map of the route go to the Salt Lake Organizing Committee's web site at www.saltlake2002.com