Flame lights a fire in Kiwis' hearts

SUZANNE McFADDEN reports on the Olympic flame's touchdown in New Zealand.

QUEENSTOWN - After months of practice holding a Thermos flask aloft, 100-year-old Madge Mason had no trouble striding out with the Olympic flame in Queenstown yesterday.

Tiny Madge earned the loudest cheers on the first leg of the flame's journey through New Zealand - but could not understand all the fuss.

She had a wheelchair nearby, but never had to use it. She had wanted to walk her 500m stretch in high heels, but was persuaded to wear her little blue sneakers.

With her caregiver, Brenda Douglas, holding her arm, she walked at such a brisk pace that her followers had to jog to keep up.

"I was most surprised that I was asked - I had to ask myself if I could do it," she said. "I was living in apprehension.

"But what a wonderful opportunity for a 100-year-old."

The rest-home where she lives on the edge of Lake Wakatipu bought the $350 torch she carried in memory of her greatest sporting moment.

It was also a monumental day for athletics legend Peter Snell. The triple Olympic gold medallist reckoned that carrying the flame to the top of Coronet Peak was like finding the missing link in his incredible career.

Dr Snell sparked off the flame's first visit to New Zealand - accompanying the Olympic lantern in a helicopter before igniting the first torch carried down the slopes by silver medal skier Annelise Coberger.

"It was the last Olympic experience that I needed to have," Dr Snell said. "I've carried the New Zealand flag at the Tokyo Olympics, I've won some medals. But this was like the final chapter."

But it's not quite over yet for 61-year-old Dr Snell. He will run with the flame along the Auckland waterfront tomorrow, filling in for his old running mate Sir Murray Halberg, who is too ill to take part.

Spectators lining the ski slopes and the streets cheered and even cried as the flame passed by. Each torch-bearer wore a huge smile as the flame travelled hand-to-hand through Queenstown and then Christchurch on the first of its three days in New Zealand.

There were at least two heart-stopping moments along the way. In the mist on Coronet Peak the flame went out briefly and later as 13-year-old Scarlett Hagen cycled down the mountain it fell off her bike.

But the rest of the long day was magical. For Down's syndrome athlete Greig Anderson, it was his Olympic dream come true.

Anderson, who won a gold medal on the track at the Special Olympics, ran with the flame as it came off the Queenstown gondola, down into the centre of the town.

"Now I'm part of Olympic history," he grinned. "I'm going to see this flame again on TV in Sydney."

Thousands of people lined the streets of Christchurch at dusk yesterday to watch the flame.

Triathlete Erin Baker had a following like the Pied Piper through Burnside Park, with at least 100 people running behind her.

Multisport fanatic Steve Gurney ended the flame's Christchurch journey when he ignited a cauldron in Cathedral Square.

The flame will fly to Wellington this morning on its own plane, where it will pass through 100 more hands before finishing its New Zealand visit in Rotorua and Auckland tomorrow.

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