The Olympic flame for the Milan Cortina Winter Games began its journey on Wednesday, though its traditional lighting ceremony in western Greece was moved indoors by adverse weather.
Organisers relocated the event from Olympia’s ancient stadium to a nearby museum, with overcast skies preventing the usual ignition method of focusing the sun’s rays.
A backup flame, kindled during Monday’s rehearsal, was consequently used.
Greek rower Petros Gaidatzis launched the torch relay. After a brief Greek tour and 4 December handover, the flame will embark on a 63-day, 12,000-kilometre journey across all 110 Italian provinces, carried by some 10,000 runners.
Italy’s third Winter Games has faced reports of cost overruns and construction setbacks.
Despite this, organisers highlight 116 medal events, the debut of ski mountaineering, higher female participation, and the return of NHL players to Olympic hockey as reasons for fans to get excited for the Games which will run from February 6-22.
The flame will reach Milan’s San Siro Stadium for the opening ceremony.
The Winter Olympics were first held in Italy in 1956 when they were staged in Cortina d’Ampezzo.
Fifty years later, the Games returned to Italy, with Turin nominated as the host city.
Now, they will take place in Milan and Cortina, although organisers will hope Wednesday’s underwhelming torch-lighting ceremony is not a sign of things to come.
Great Britain will be hoping to improve on the two medals that they won at the last Winter Olympics in China back in 2022.
The women’s curling team of Eve Muirhead, Vicky Wright, Jennifer Dodds, Hailey Duff and Mili Smith struck gold, while the men’s team of Bruce Mouat, Grant Hardie, Bobby Lammie, Hammy McMillan Jr and Ross Whyte brought home a silver medal.
GB had won a gold medal in the skeleton in each of the previous three Winter Olympics, but failed to win a medal in 2022.
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