Policewomen fly on bikes, ready for motorcade

The police officers looked as elegant as a wedge of swans in flight as they synchronized to wove around traffic cones on their Honda motorbikes yesterday, preparing to be the official motorcade of the Games.

"Although we all knew a bit about motorbikes, we were far from being able to show off these kinds of special skills," said Duan Tao, 25, speaking from under a brilliant white helmet. She had matching gloves and Matrix-like sunshades to match it.

Duan is one of the 36 traffic police personnel, 25 men and 11 women, chosen for this elite Olympic unit to lead State leaders and IOC officials around key Olympic zones from tomorrow. They are part of the guiding unit of 211 traffic policemen under the Beijing Traffic Management Bureau.