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History of the Olympic Torch, Flame, and Relay
Harpreet Singh
cricket
History: Flame and torch The ancient Greeks believed that fire was given to humankind by Prometheus , and considered fire to have sacred qualities. Mirrors were used to focus the sun's rays to ignite flames that would burn perpetually in front of Greek temples . Greek rituals also included torch relays, although this was not actually part of the Olympic Games.
The Olympic flame today Today, the Olympic flame is lit in front of the ruins of the Temple of Hera in Olympia, Greece . The flame emphasizes the connection between the ancient games and the modern ones. In the past, a high priestess of the Temple of Hera would light the flame using a skaphia, the ancestor of parabolic mirrors.
Read more about the Symbolism of Fire . History: Relay, Summer Games The modern use of the Olympic Flame began in 1936 . It coincided with the advent of a long relay of runners carrying torches to bring the flame from Olympia to the site of the games. Once there, the torch is used to light a cauldron that remains lit until it is extinguished in the Closing Ceremony .
1936 Berlin Games The first such relay took place for the 1936 Berlin Games . Some 3,330 runners brought the flame through Greece , Bulgaria , Yugoslavia , Hungary , Austria , Czechoslovakia , and Germany . Similar relays have taken place for every Summer Game since.
Their legs must be tired The 2004 relay was the first to start and end in Greece; it was also the first to visit every continent, crossing 34 cities in 27 countries before returning to Greece. The flame travels by plane between cities, and is relayed by foot within cities.
Honorable bearers Being a torch-bearer is considered an honor, one given to local residents with a record of community service, in addition to athletes and celebrities.
We have the technology The torches generally burn a gas fuel, and are specially designed to resist the effects of wind and rain.
for more details visit www.cricket24.webs.com
Article submitted Thursday, August 07, 2008
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