In a momentous event three months before the Paris Olympics, Greece officially handed over the Olympic flame to the Paris 2024 organizers. The ceremony took place at the iconic Panathenaic Stadium in Athens, the site of the first modern Games in 1896.
The flame was carried into the stadium by Greek athletics Olympian Antigoni Ntrismpioti before being passed to notable figures including Gabriella Papadakis, a French Olympic figure skating champion with Greek heritage, French Paralympic swimming champion BĂ©atrice Hess, and Greek Olympic silver medalist in water polo, Ioannis Fountoulis.
The high priestess then ignited the Panathenaic Stadium cauldron and used the flame to light a final torch, which was handed to Spyros Capralos, President of the Greek Olympic Committee. Capralos passed the torch to Tony Estanguet, the chief of Paris 2024, marking the conclusion of the flame's 11-day journey of Olympic heritage.
Departing Greece on Saturday, the cauldron will embark on a 12-day voyage across the Mediterranean Sea aboard a 19th-century sailing ship. It is expected to arrive in Marseille, France's southern port city, on May 8, where it will be welcomed by approximately 150,000 spectators during a grand ceremony at the Old Port of Marseille.
The Paris Olympic Games are set to take place from July 26 to August 11, promising a vibrant showcase of global talent and cultural celebration.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
