A long-time Bermuda resident had the honour last week of carrying the Winter Olympic Torch in the relay between Osoyoos and Okanagan Falls, the wine region south-east of the city of Vancouver, home of this year's Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Margaret Shapiro (formerly Moran), was one of 12,000 torchbearers all across Canada, and she ran with the torch last Monday – day 88 of the 106-day relay that will end with the lighting of the Olympic Cauldron on February, 12.

Shapiro, who is now a Vancouver realtor, was cheered on by her husband Allan (whose company sponsorship made her run possible), her son, Sean Moran from New York and her daughter Erin Moran Hines and son-in-law, Dale Hines, currently residing in Seattle.

Shapiro said: "My only regret is that my son Mark was not able to come from Bermuda – but he called just before my run and he was with us in spirit!

"The 300 metre run itself was over in the blink of an eye! I felt like I could have gone on forever. I was very emotional at the end of it."

The Olympic Flame was lit on October 22, 2009 in a traditional ceremony in Olympia, Greece and travelled throughout that country before being handed over to the Vancouver Organising Committee for the 2010 Games.

It was then flown to Victoria, BC where it began its 45,000 kilometre journey across Canada on October 30 last year.