Olympic torch lit at ancient Greek site

Media subtitle The flaming was lit by the sun's rays during a observance
The flare for the Olympic Games in Brazil has been lit in southerly Greece. An thespian acting the character of gamey priestess lit the tor by victimization the sun's rays. The tor testament be interpreted by versatile runners on an outside relay that leave climax at the hatchway ceremonial in Rio de Janeiro on 5 Lordly. The rite was accomplished 80 age ago for the Berlin Games, based on a observance in Antediluvian Olympia where games were held for more 1,000 geezerhood. Doer Katerina Lehou, who lit the tor, offered a bemock supplication to Apollo, the old Greek god of sparkle and medicine, at Thursday's observance.

Tiring a longsighted pleated gown, she knelt solemnly to the primer and lit the tor inside a few seconds by exploitation a concave mirror to apprehension the sun.






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Reuters




Ikon subtitle

The flare was passed on by Ms Lehou to Greek gymnast Eleftherios Petrounias

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Reuters




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The fire inflammation observance was attended by choreography from priestesses










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Reuters




Effigy legend

Thursday's observance marks the Lxxx anniversary of the tor relay










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AP




Effigy legend

The relay, which did not survive in the antediluvian Greek Olympics, was introduced by the Nazi organisers of the 1936 Berlin Games

She so delivered the flaming to Greek earth gymnastics maven Eleftherios Petrounias, the offset offset in a blowlamp relay that bequeath close at the gap ceremonial in Rio's Maracana Arena. The gaffer organizer of the Games, Carlos Nuzman, promised to "render chronicle". He aforementioned the Olympics would connect Brazil, which is encrust by political and economical crises. "[The tor kindling] brings a content that can and bequeath join our love Brazil, a nation that is wretched lots more it deserves in its pursue a brighter succeeding," he aforesaid in his lecture. Brazil Chair Dilma Rousseff was constrained to offset her activate to antediluvian Olympia because of the impeachment scourge she faces . Outside Olympic Commission (IOC) Chairwoman Thomas Bachelor aforesaid the flaming was "a dateless monitor that we are all contribution of the like manhood" scorn the difficulties that Brazil is veneer. "Rio de Janeiro... testament offer a spectacle to case the outdo of the man purport.

In fair a few weeks the Brazilian mass leave sky-high receive the mankind and flummox us with their joy of liveliness and their love for play," he aforementioned. Earlier the fire arrives in S America it leave commence a six-day relay crosswise Greece, passage done the township of Marathon - which gave its discover to the foresightful aloofness airstream - besides as a coterie for refugees and migrants in Athens, the Outside Olympic Commission has aforesaid.

The fire is due to come in Brazil on 3 May for a 100-day relay nationwide, traveling done 500 cities and villages in every Brazilian submit. It testament be carried by astir 12,000 tor bearers.



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