Celebrations planned for 100-day countdown

    BEIJING, April 23 (Xinhua) -- Organizers of the Beijing Olympics are planning various activities to celebrate the 100-day countdown to the opening of the Aug. 8-24 event, said an organizing committee official on Wednesday.

    On the 100-day mark, which falls on April 30, an international long distance race will be held at the Olympic Green near the National Stadium, known as the Bird's Nest, and the National Aquatics Center, dubbed as the Water Cube, said Wang Hui, the director of the media and communications department of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games (BOCOG).

    "About 10,000 people are expected to participate in the event which includes a 13 kilometers marathon and a 2 kilometers long distance race," she said.

    Also on April 30, the Beijing Workers' Indoor Arena will hold a song festival featuring community members of the capital city in the afternoon and the Beijing Working People's Culture Palace will stage an art performance in the evening to unveil the winners of the campaign for Olympic songs, a crusade that has lasted four years.

    Four days before the celebrations, Beijing's Chaoyang Park will host an international speed-walking race expected to attract 6,000participants.