EVENTS MARKING NATIONAL SPORTS FESTIVAL

[Anchor Lead]

The 100th National Sports Festival is only four days away. The festival torches, one of which was carried by rising track-and-field star Yang Ye-bin, arrived in the hosting city of Seoul. A meaningful event was held at Seoul Plaza to celebrate the flames' arrival.

[Pkg]

The National Sports Festival, which started as a small baseball tournament in 1920, celebrates its centennial this year. This year's festival torch was especially meaningful as four flames were lit on Manisan Mountain, Dokdo Islets, Marado Island, and Imjingak near the border. The flames collected from those four locations came together at Seoul Plaza. Symbolizing history, hope, peace and well-being, the flames were brought together to burn as one. Rising track and field star Yang Ye-bin carried the torch lit at Marado Island.

[Soundbite] YANG YE-BIN(GYERYONG MIDDLE SCHOOL) : "It was meaningful to carry the flame for the 100th National Sports Festival. I will do my best to make it to next year's festival."

The combined flame will tour various places in Seoul before coming to the Jamsil Main Stadium where the opening ceremony will be held on October 4th. Seoul residents are looking forward to the 100th National Sports Festival held in the capital.

[Soundbite] LEE MYEONG-RAN(SEOUL RESIDENT) : "I'm more interested in the festival now, since it's held in Seoul. I intend to go see the games more often."

Multiple national-level athletes are slated to compete in this year's event in order to hone their skills ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.