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The first well-known major athlete to light the cauldron was nine-time Olympic champion Paavo Nurmi at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki. Other famous final torch bearers include 1960 decathlon gold medallist Rafer Johnson, who became the first person of African descent to light the cauldron at the 1984 Summer Olympics, [1] French football star Michel Platini (), heavyweight boxing champion ...
The Olympic torch relay is the ceremonial relaying of the Olympic flame from Olympia, Greece, to the site of an Olympic Games. It was introduced at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, as a way for Adolf Hitler to highlight the Nazi claim of Aryan connections of Germany to Greece. [1] It has taken place prior to every Games since.
The 1968 Summer Olympics torch relay took part as part of the build-up to the 1968 Summer Olympics hosted in Mexico City, Mexico. The Olympic flame was lit in Olympia, Greece, and retraced the steps of Christopher Columbus, discoverer of the New World. This theme celebrated the link between Latin-American and Mediterranean civilizations.
The 1984 torch relay was the first to last longer than two months, the first to be substantially funded by corporate sponsorships, and the first to visit all the major cities of the host country rather than traveling directly to the host city. This model has been followed by most Olympic torch relays that have occurred since.
Olympic Torch Bearer Siegfried Eifrig (6 February 1910 – 23 June 2008) was a German track and field athlete who ran the last leg of the inaugural Olympic Torch rally in the 1936 Summer Olympics .
The 2002 Winter Olympics torch relay was a 65-day run, from December 4, 2001, until February 8, 2002, prior to the 2002 Winter Olympics. [1] The runners carried the Olympic Flame throughout the United States – following its lighting in Olympia, Greece, to the opening ceremony of the 2002 games at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The 2024 Summer Olympics opening ceremony may be a little less glossy compared to previous years due to the absence of Pita Taufatofua. However, the former Tongan flag bearer still took part in ...
The 1948 Summer Olympics torch relay was run from 17 July until 29 July 1948, prior to the 1948 Summer Olympics, held in London, United Kingdom. The relay was nicknamed the "relay of peace". [ 1 ] It was only the second occasion that a torch relay was held for the Olympics; the first was at the 1936 Summer Olympics .