The fourth Asian Para Games kicked off its torch relay on Thursday.

Covering a total of 235 kilometers, the torch relay started at the Xiushui Square near Qiandao Lake in Hangzhou's Chun'an County, east China's Zhejiang Province.

Hangzhou, the host city for the 19th Asian Games from September 23 to October 8, has switched gears for the fourth Asian Para Games, set to take place between October 22 and 28.

The flame was lit in Guangzhou on October 12 as the capital city in south China's Guangdong Province hosted the inaugural Asian Para Games in 2010.

Then the flame was transported from Guangzhou to Hangzhou on high-speed railway escorted by personnel from the organizing committee.

The first torchbearer was China's para power-lifter Tan Yujiao.

"I feel very honored and thrilled as the first torchbearer," said the 33-year-old.

Tan dominated the women's para power-lifting after breaking 19 world records, with a majority in the 67kg category.

She was the gold medalist in the event at both the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Para Olympic Games, as well as in 2014 Dubai, 2017 Mexico City, and 2019 Nur-Sultan world championships.

"My goal at the Games in Hangzhou is to win the gold medal. Also, I have an attempt to break the world record set by myself," said Tan, who also triumphed in the 2019 Jakarta Asian Para Games.

According to the organizers, a total of 600 torchbearers, including 51 overseas torchbearers from 41 countries and regions, will participate in the relay.

The relay includes 228 female and 372 male torchbearers, with the youngest being a 14-year-old and the oldest 73.

Among them, 188 torchbearers are physically impaired, accounting for almost a third of the total.

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