Beijing, July 31:

One of the world’s hairiest men Yu Zhenhuan, a rock singer who calls himself “King Kong,” has launched a campaign to run in next year’s Olympic torch relay, Xinhua news agency said.

Yu says he is a perfect candidate. “The Olympics belong to everyone — those with abnormalities included,” Yu was quoted as saying.

“First I am a celebrity, inside and outside of China and secondly, I think my experience in coping with a disfigurement ties in with the notion of Olympic spirit.” With hair covering 96

per cent of his body, Yu is pipped in the Guiness Book of Records by two Mexican brothers dubbed the world’s hairiest with 98 per cent coverage.

The Beijing Olympics torch relay will pass through 135 cities and cover 137,000 kilometres

in its 130-day journey around the world, much of it by plane, and through mainland China.

A total of 21,880 people are being recruited as torch bearers for the China leg.