This year’s Olympic flame has been lit in Greece, meaning there are now just 100 days until the major sporting event.
Every four years, before the Olympic Games, a flame is ignited before it travels across the globe to the hosting country.
Given that the games are taking place in Paris this year, the flame doesn’t actually have to travel as far as it has in other years, to Tokyo or Rio. However, it is taking some very big detours along the way as part of the ceremonial process.
More than 10,000 torchbearers will carry the historic Olympic flame during the torch relay as the countdown to this year’s games continues.
The torch will be carried across Greece before entering France via Marseille and arriving in Paris on July 26 in time for the Opening Ceremony.
Reflecting on this year’s event, Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee, said: “The Olympic Games are the only event that brings the entire world together in peaceful competition.
“The Olympic athletes send this powerful message: yes, it is possible to compete fiercely against each other and, at the same time, live peacefully together under one roof. The athletes will shine and show us what greatness humans are capable of with all their excellence, determination and resilience.”
So, what’s the significance of the Olympic flame? Here’s what you need to know.
What is the Olympic flame?
The Olympic flame is a key symbol of the Olympic Games that is lit in Olympia, the birthplace of the ancient Olympics in Greece.
Inspired by ancient Greek ceremonies that kept a flame burning through events, it was first reintroduced in 1928 as a link between the ancient games and their modern counterparts.
During a special ceremony held at the Temple of Hera, a group of women usually ignite a flame with sunlight and a parabolic mirror.
The Olympic torch relay was later introduced in 1936 and has become a symbolic introduction to the sporting tournament.
Starting in Olympia, the relay brings together thousands of athletes and prominent figures from around the world to carry the flame, often on foot, to the Olympics.
Over the decades, the Olympic torch has also been carried on horseback and plane and even turned into a radio signal to reach its destination. An unlit torch was even sent into space on two occasions.
How will the Olympic flame travel to Paris?
This year’s torch relay will span 3,100 miles and will take 68 days to complete.
It’s currently being carried to Athens, before being transported by a sailboat across the Mediterranean to Marseille in France.
Alongside a major tour of France, crossing countless historical sites along the way, the torch will also cross the Atlantic and visit several French territories including Guadeloupe, French Polynesia and Martinique.
You can watch the Olympic flame’s journey here.
Who carries the Olympic flame?
Relay teams made up of 24 people each will carry the flame as part of the torch relay.
These teams are made up of athletes, volunteers, coaches, champions, and referees, among others.
Stephanos Ntouskos won gold for Greece in rowing and was the first torchbearer to carry this year’s flame.
When are the Paris Olympics?
This year’s Olympic games will actually commence on July 24, but the opening ceremony will be held two days later, on July 26.
The tournament will take place across 35 venues, including surfing all the way in Tahiti.
The games – made up of 329 medal events across 32 sports – will conclude on August 11.
The Paralympic Games will then take place in Paris from August 28 to September 8.
