Kiwi lawyer counts down to her Olympic torch run

The torch reached Stonehenge last Thursday in the hands of United States sprinter Michael Johnson. Photo / AP

A New Zealand woman living in London is counting down the days to her Olympic torch run.

Former Auckland resident Susan Grace will carry the London Olympic torch next Monday - day 66 of the 70-day Olympic torch relay - in Merton, southwest London.

She is one of 8000 torch bearers participating in the relay.

Ms Grace, 53, is a lawyer for the Lloyds Banking Group and was chosen as a torch bearer for her voluntary work with London's homeless at a shelter run by the famous St Martin-in-the-Fields Anglican Church in Trafalgar Square.

"I do that once a week and also organise the community work for our office team."

The 53-year-old, who grew up in Wellington, is one of 200 Lloyd's staff members taking part in the relay.

The Lloyd's torch bearers were selected from more than 11,500 nominated employees.

The torch reached Stonehenge on Thursday in the hands of United States sprinter Michael Johnson, an Olympian.

Ms Grace said: "My father use to volunteer once a week at a homeless shelter in Wellington ... and he's probably a large part of why I choose to work with the homeless."

The Auckland University law graduate told the Herald she had been training for her 300m relay dash and was using hand weights to practise running with the torch.

"It's only a short distance but I've heard it can get quite heavy.

"I want to reach the end at the same speed I began and not be all flushed in the face."

Ms Grace moved to Britain in September 1999 and initially planned to return to New Zealand after a few years working abroad.

"I thought it would be a two- to three-year adventure ... but I never left," she said.

"After I finished university in Auckland [in 1995], I worked for Rudd Watts [law firm] - which is now Minter Ellison Rudd Watts - for four years."

The London resident will attend some of the athletics events during the Olympics and has family coming from Australia to watch her in the relay.

"My sister and her husband are coming. And I'll also have friends watching from the sidelines ... so there will be lots of photos. I feel so honoured and humbled for the opportunity."