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The Olympic Flame

The Flame

The Olympic flame represents a number of things, including purity and the endeavor for perfection.

The lighting of the Olympic flame is a practice continued from the ancient Olympic Games. It all starts at the ancient site of Olympia in Greece, where a flame is ignited by the sun rays reflected off a curved mirror, and then is kept burning until the closing of the Olympic Games. The flame is lit by women dressed in ancient-style robes, resembling those worn in ancient times, and using a curved mirror and the sun.

The idea of an Olympic Flame burning from the start of the games to the closing was first introduced in 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam, where a fire was lit in the tower of the stadium, though no torch relay was undertaken.

Flame Trivia

• The torchbearer for the 1956 Olympics was a virtually unknown 19 year old at the time he carried the torch into the stadium at Melbourne. Ron Clarke went on to become the world's finest distance runner in the 1960s.

• In 1996, ex-boxer Muhammad Ali jogged the final leg on the relay to light the cauldron at the start of the Games.

• In Sydney 2000, Australian Aboriginal Cathy Freeman lit the cauldron at the start of the Games, and went on to win the 400m race.

Related Pages

• about the Oympic Torch and Torch Relay
• other Olympic Traditions