The Olympic Flame
Every four years, the summer Olympic Games kick off with
an elaborate1 opening ceremony that welcomes athletes from
every competing nation. However, preparations and celebrations.
for the Olympic Games start long before the opening ceremony.
The true beginning of the Olympic celebration is the lighting of
the Olympic torch and the relay that carries the flame to the host city.
The Olympic torch is lit at a ceremony in Olympia, Greece, where the ancient2 games
were held. One requirement for the Olympic flame is that it must be created using
only sunlight and a mirror. The flame is lit months before the games, and the first
runner begins the great relay among the ruins3 of an ancient Olympic stadium.
The first modern Olympic torch relay took place in Berlin, in the summer of 1936.
At the beginning, runners were mainly selected from the Olympic athletes, but later
regular citizens-including children, old people, and people with disabilities-began
to participate as well. Carrying the torch
is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and a
great honor.
Traditionally, the torch is carried on foot.
However, sometimes other kinds of transport
are needed. When the torch must go
overseas, it is sent on a private plane. The
torch has also been carried underwater. For
the Sydney Summer Games in 2000, a diver
swam with the torch!
At the end of the relay, the flame is used to light a giant pot. The light, a symbol of
the Olympic spirit, burns throughout the games.
1 Something that is elaborate is complex and has a lot of different parts.
2 Something that is ancient is very, very old.
3 Ruins are the remains of a very old building.
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