Olympic Torch

Guide Note

A symbol of the Olympics and the brotherhood of the competitors, the Olympic Torch burns throughout the Olympic Games and is not extinguished until the closing ceremony. This tradition originated at the ancient Olympic Games in Greece and was revived at the 1928 Amsterdam Summer Olympics.

Fast Facts

1. Torch Race first organized during 1936 Olympic Games in Germany
2. Torch sometimes transported by boat, horseback, plane or other means
3. Transported by radio signal in 1976
4. Carried up Mount Everest in 2008
5. At the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, the cauldron was lit with a flaming arrow shot by an archer

Carrying the Flame

The flame is lit several months before the start of the Olympic Games as part of a special ritual in Greece. It is lit using the sun's rays in a parabolic mirror as it was done in ancient times. A series of runners carry the flame across many nations of the world, passing it from one to another until it arrives at the stadium where the games are to be held. The final runner circles the stadium holding the torch high, then lights the cauldron with it to signal that the games have begun.

Notable Recent Torch Bearers

1. 1994: Crown Prince Haakon of Norway
2. 1996: Muhammad Ali
3. 2002: The entire 1980 gold medal winning U.S. hockey team
4. 2008: Jackie Chan