HK heroes: Chief Executive Donald Tsang presents the HKSAR flag to Secretary for Home Affairs Tsang Tak-sing.

Chief Executive Donald Tsang presented the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region flag to the Hong Kong delegation to the 11th National Games today, ahead of a torch relay.

Hong Kong will send a 340-member delegation, comprising 230 athletes and 110 supporting and medical personnel to take part in 25 sports events.

At the flag presentation ceremony today, Mr Tsang presented the HKSAR flag to the Secretary for Home Affairs Tsang Tak-sing, who is also the head of the delegation.

The Chief Executive then officiated at the torch-lighting ceremony, passing the torch - which was brought from Beijing last month - to the first torch bearer, swimmer Jeffrey Lum.

Five torchbearers ran a 1.1km route which started in Kowloon Park Sports Centre, passing the park's main trail, Water Garden, Sculpture Walk and the Hong Kong 2009 East Asian Games Handprint Wall for Sponsors & Volunteers before going back to the sports centre.

Mr Tsang Tak-sing said the 11th National Games is of great significance as this year is the 50th Anniversary of the Games as well as the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

He believed the Hong Kong athletes will make use of the opportunity to exchange skills with Mainland elite athletes and prepare themselves for the East Asian Games to be held at the end of the year.