INTERNATIONAL: The Olympic flame has been officially handed over to representatives from China. The event went off without a hitch, the day after protests disrupted the lighting ceremony on Monday.

The vice president of the Chinese Olympic Committee, Yu Zaiqing, arrived at the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens on Tuesday, followed shortly afterwards by International Olympic Committee member Spyros Capralos. Then the Greek ceremonial guard put on a display of pom-pom shoes and ceremony for an event we can’t actually show you, with the rights being so heavily protected by the IOC.

The actual flame arrived on the back of an SUV and was carried into the stadium by a Greek athlete holding an olive branch. About half an hour later, a delegation of Chinese athletes emerged with the flame safely protected in a lantern. They quickly boarded their team bus and headed for the airport.

The flame arrived in Beijing on Wednesday morning for the start of the traditional torch relay. The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics begin on Friday 4 February.

^{PHOTO: SECURITY CHECKING VISITORS' CREDENTIALS OUTSIDE THE STADIUM, LAST TORCHBEARER BRINGING FLAME, BEIJING ATHLETES AND OFFICIALS LEAVING WITH FLAME IN LANTERN AND BOARDING BUS, POLICE CARS OUTSIDE STADIUM, BEIJING AND IOC OFFICIALS ARRIVING, EVZONED MARCHING INTO STADIUM, PEOPLE WATCHING FROM BALCONIES}