The largest number of torchbearers - 291 - took part in the relay in Xining, provincial capital of Qinghai, yesterday since its mainland stage began on May 24.

Two torchbearers, one from China and the other from the United States, embrace eath other after the Olympic flame is passed during the torch relay in Xining, capital of Qinghai Province, June 24, 2008. [Xinhua]

Wu Tianyi, 73, an ethnic Tajik, and an expert on altitude sickness attached to the China Academy of Engineering, led off the relay. Li Chunxiu, 39, a marathon walker who won a bronze medal at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, concluded the three-day relay in the province.

Xining is home to the Duoba sports training centre. At an elevation of 2,366 m, it is the highest of its kind in Asia.

Ever since its establishment in 1982, it has been used to train marathon walkers, middle and long distance runners, cyclists, wrestlers, and boxers.

Among them have been Atlanta 5,000 m gold medalist Wang Junxia, regarded as the best woman runner in China's sports history; Wang Liping, gold medalist in the 20 km walk at the 2000 Sydney Games; and Xing Huina, 10,000 m gold medal winner at the 2004 Athens Games.

The final torchbearer, Li a Qinghai-native, also received her training at the center.

Xining is also known as the "Summer Capital" because of its temperate climate and picturesque terrain, which includes the Qinghai Lake.

One of the foreign torchbearers was Frederick Hutchison.

He was a TV producer for the sports channel of American Broadcasting Corporation before arriving in China three years ago. Hutchison cycled from Shanghai to Xining about 18 months ago.

The 68-year-old said he wants to scale Mount Qomolangma to break the record of the oldest person, a Japanese, who did it in 2006 at the age of 70.

To get himself prepared, Hutchison has settled in Xining and cycles everyday. He refers to his 10-year-old cycle as "Mrs Hutch".

He has cycled around the Qinghai Lake twice. "You know, there is no better place to get myself prepared for the attempt," Hutchison said.

When told the age record had recently been broken by a 76-year-old Nepali, Hutchison replied: "Well, then I will wait for another nine years."

The relay will move to Yuncheng and Pingyao, Shanxi province, today.