ANCIENT OLYMPIA, Greece (AP) — One way or another, the flame that’s to burn at the Paris Olympics will be kindled Tuesday at the site of the ancient games in southern Greece. Forecast cloudy skies could frustrate efforts to produce the flame in the customary fashion, when an actress dressed as an ancient Greek priestess uses the sun to ignite a silver torch. If that doesn’t work, French organizers will get their flame from a backup that was successfully lit at a final rehearsal Monday. In an elaborately choreographed ceremony first used in 1936, the foremost of a group of priestesses in long, pleated dresses offers a prayer to the ancient Greek sun god, Apollo. She then dips the fuel-filled torch into a parabolic mirror which focuses the sun’s rays on it, and fire spurts forth. From the ancient stadium in Olympia, a relay of torchbearers will carry the flame more than 5,000 kilometers (3,100 miles) through Greece until the handover to Paris Games organizers in Athens on April 26. |
After Maui, Hawaii lawmakers budget funds for firefighting equipment and a state fire marshalStock market today: Asian markets wobble after Fed sticks with current interest ratesBarbra Banda's 2 goals keep Orlando Pride undefeated in NWSLMore money is going to African climate startups, but a huge funding gap remainsChina's ShenzhouPakistan recalls Hasan Ali for tour to Ireland and England, delays announcing T20 World Cup squadMuñoz strikes out seven over six innings to get 1st major league win, Marlins beat Rockies 4Draisaitl scores twice as Oilers beat Kings 4Drew Barrymore, 49, shares 1982 video from E.T. the ExtraPolland wins PGA club pro title. Nineteen others advance to PGA Championship