CANBERRA The Sydney 2000 Olympic torch will island-hop through the tiny nations of the South Pacific en route to Australia from Athens, Olympic officials said on Wednesday. The Olympic torch relay, the longest in the games' history covering 60,852 km (37,813 miles), will visit 12 island nations including Guam and the Solomon islands. The Olympic flame will travel through Oceania, the Olympic region of South Pacific island nations which include New Zealand and Australia, through May and June 2000. The flame will pass through thatched island villages, along coral-ringed beaches and through tropical forests.

It's fabulous that we're able to take the torch relay into the region, Michael Knight, president of the Sydney Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games, told reporters. Already we've got the longest torch relay in history. Now we're going and reaching out to Oceania. It will be a great thing for Oceania, a great thing for the Olympics and a great thing for Australia's image.

The torch will reach Australia on June 8. (Reuter)