Olympic flame begins journey to London

The Olympic flaming was lit at Olympia yesterday, mark the beginning of the Torch Relay that volition choose the flaming to the Olympic Stadium inwards London on 27 July. 

In business amongst tradition, the flaming was lit, next the time-honoured ritual of using the sun’s rays in addition to a parabolic mirror, past times a High Priestess – Ino Menegaki – at the Temple of Hera inwards Ancient Olympia. The priestess in addition to then entered the Ancient Olympic Stadium, inwards a procession choreographed past times Artemis Ignatiou, in addition to used the flaming to ignite the torch of the foremost runner of the Relay, Spyros Gianniotis.

A British-born Greek opened upwardly H2O swimming globe champion in addition to three-time Olympian, Gianniotis in addition to then transferred the flaming to Alex Loukos, ane of London 2012’s immature ambassadors inwards Singapore inwards 2005, who has Greek heritage in addition to lives inwards the London borough of Newham.

The Olympic flaming volition straightaway start out an eight-day journeying across Greece, travelling to the isle of Crete earlier going to Piraeus, Thessalonica, Xanthi in addition to Larissa amidst other areas earlier arriving inwards the Panathenaic Stadium inwards Athens, site of the foremost modern Olympic Games inwards 1896, on 17 May for the official Olympic Flame Handover Ceremony.

The Olympic flaming volition in addition to then endure flown past times bird to RNAS Culdrose inwards Britain on eighteen May earlier the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay – presented past times Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB in addition to Samsung – gets nether means at Land’s End on May 19. The flaming volition watch to a greater extent than than chiliad villages, towns in addition to cities inwards the United Kingdom of Great Britain in addition to Northern Ireland during its journey, roofing some 8000 miles over lxx days, every bit it is carried past times 8000 inspirational torchbearers. The flaming volition goal its journeying at the Olympic Stadium on 27 July for the lighting of the cauldron at the Opening Ceremony, signifying the start of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Present at the ceremony was IOC President Jacques Rogge , Hellenic Olympic Committee President Spyros Capralos, London Organising Committee chairman Sebastian Coe, Ancient Olympia mayor Efthymios Kotzas, in addition to Spyros Zannias, Chairman of the HOC’s Olympic Torch Relay Commission.

“With this ceremony, nosotros start out the terminal countdown to a dream that came to life 7 years agone inwards Singapore, when London was selected to host the 2012 Games,” Rogge said.

“The break energy that passes from the Sun to the Olympic flaming volition low-cal a torch that volition go from this birthplace of the ancient Olympic Games to the province that invented modern sport in addition to the spirit of fair play, heralding the opening of the 2012 London Games on 27 July.

“As the Olympic torch travels the width in addition to breadth of the Britain on its means to the Olympic Stadium inwards London, its powerful symbolism in addition to the inspiring stories of many of the torchbearers volition behaviour on hearts in addition to burn imaginations around the world.”

In recognition of the Olympic values of friendship, excellence in addition to respect, the UN has approved a resolution calling on nations to educate a peaceful in addition to amend globe through sport in addition to the Olympic ideal. The resolution is the modern version of the ancient Olympic Truce – the Ekecheiria – that allowed prophylactic passage to the Games past times competitors in addition to spectators. The Olympic Torch Relay that started today at Olympia for the London 2012 Olympic Games volition permit the people of the globe to endure inspired past times this message of peace in addition to unity.

 

 

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