Olympic games flame torch

Naomi Kawase's Olympic film promises to be like nothing you've ever seen before. But organizers of the first post-war Olympics, in London, resurrected the event, securing its place as an ongoing tradition. It was a curiosity," Barker said of the relay. It really lifted people's spirits. A unifying spirit. Over time, the relay's dark origin story has faded from memory, as each new host city makes it their own. The routes have taken everywhere from days to months to complete, with backup flames also from the original source in Olympia now kept in miner's lamps and carried alongside the torch.

Sometimes, plans are derailed by more than an extinguished flame: During the Tokyo Summer Games, a typhoon damaged the plane carrying the torch, and a backup plane was called in while a second flame was sent ahead to make up for lost time. The torch designs, usually selected by the host city's organizing committee, have also evolved, and now usually come from esteemed designers and artists.

Over the decades, the torch has become an important symbol of unity and identity. Some designs have echoed antiquity, like Rome's classical design in Others have taken creative risks, like Lillehammer's sleek birchwood handle and aluminum blade for 's Winter Olympics, or London's perforated gold design in that "became known as the cheese grater," Barker said.

New York's radical female and non-binary skateboarders -- in photos. Study Abroad. Search Blog. Fire in Greek Mythology Fire has divine connotations in ancient Greek mythology. What Is the Olympic Torch Relay? The Olympic Torch Today The Olympic Torch remains a symbol of the Olympics and a continued tradition through the three ceremonies held at each Olympics.

The High Priestess, followed by a group of priestesses, call upon Apollo, the god of light, to light the torch in front of the Temple of Hera. The sun reflects against a parabolic mirror to light strips of old camera film, which starts the flame. The official Olympic website livestreams the event. Olympic Torch Relay — The Olympic Torch is brought from Olympia to the Panathenaiko in Athens for another ceremony, where the flame is officially presented to the host city.

Olympic Cauldron Lighting — Upon arrival of the Olympic Torch to the host city, the final torchbearer lights the Olympic cauldron at the start of the Olympic Games. The cauldron remains lit for the duration of the Games. Related Blog Posts. Learn More. Top 5 Moments in the U. Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article. Found the story interesting?

Like us on Facebook to see similar stories. I'm already a fan, don't show this again. Send MSN Feedback. How can we improve? Please give an overall site rating:.