John James, a Scouts Canada volunteer, is the first person named to the Ottawa stretch of the torch relay that will lead up to the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. (CBC)The first person to carry the torch through the streets of Ottawa as it makes its way to Vancouver for the 2010 Olympic Games was announced Monday.
Representatives from the RBC bank on Sparks Street announced that Ottawa resident John James, a Scouts Canada volunteer, will be one of 12,000 Canadians to help carry the torch across the country.
RBC is a sponsor of the torch relay.
"It's an honour being chosen," said James, who will carry the torch for 300 metres before he passes it on to the next person in the relay.
"I'm not like one of the athletes," he said. "I don't get up at 4 o'clock in the morning to put in two hours of training before I go to work."
But he does, nonetheless, want to be a part of the upcoming Olympic celebration.
"It's such a magical thing to be involved in," said Jeff Bean, an aerial skier and former Olympian who introduced James to the crowd that had gathered for the announcement.
Representatives from the bank said many more torchbearers would be announced over the summer but that they're still looking for potential participants in the relay, which begins begins Oct. 30, 2009.
Applications from people interested in being torchbearers will be accepted until mid-July. Participants are chosen at random, and any Canadian over the age of 13 is eligible.
