Paralympic Games Flame, Torch and Relay
In the days before the Paralympic Games are held, the Paralympic Flame is lit at Stoke Mandeville, a village in Buckinghamshire, England. At this location the Stoke Mandeville Games were held, the inspiration of the Paralympic Games. The flame was first lit here in 2012, and will become the permanent home for the lighting of the Paralympic Flame. Prior to that, the flame had been lit at a site chosen by the Paralympics host city.
Once lit, the torch is then then taken around the country where the Games are held. Like the Olympic Games torch, the Paralympic torch is carried by a range of people such as athletes, leaders, and celebrities. On the final day, the torch enters the stadium at the Opening Ceremony and is used to light a cauldron.
The flame is left to burn throughout the Games until the Closing Ceremony, when it is extinguished to signify the end of the Games.
Related Pages
- About the Summer Olympic Games torch, torch relay and flame.
- Olympic Traditions
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