A few weeks prior to the big games, there seem to be several countdowns by several sources, of either the commencement of the stadium, the number of days/hours left, the opening of the big pools etc and all of them as “official” but today came the official, official countdown.
London Olympics – Hold your Torches!
The final countdown to the 2012 London Olympics started with the lighting of the torch on Thursday.
It was an arena well set: with the Greek ladies in gleaming white gowns all holding their own flamed torches and Ino Menegaki playing the high priestess. Amidst the glistening sun and its rays falling upon softly, the Olympic Games torch was lit and thus began the countdown.
It all goes back years in time when the significance of bowing to the sun God, the first torch bearer, the significance of the Greek culture blended into the prestigious honor of the games that came to be the Olympics. Today, the modern may have overtaken the myths but the ideology and the concept remains the same.
Today, the first torchbearer who started the Greek leg of the relay was Spyros Gianniotis. He is a Greek swimmer and has won a gold in the 2011 World Championships for the 10-km open water event.
The flame will be handed to the organizers on May 17th and then taken to Britain a day afterwards. Alexander Loukos was the second torchbearer. He is British and of Greek Origins.
It is 7 years later that the journey of the planning, designing, drafting, constructing and finalizing has come to the final countdown because exactly in 2005 London was named as the venue for the 2012 Olympics. From distant to now days away, the 2012 London Olympics is already speaking class, elegance and perfection.
The International Olympic Committee President, Jacques Rogge expressed his happiness of the day finally coming to light. After being in charge for 12 years, he will step down next year but he will do so after having seen his efforts take fruit.
“The energy that passes from the sun to the Olympic flame will light a torch that will travel from this birthplace of the ancient Olympic Games to the country that invented modern sport and the spirit of fair play, heralding the opening of the 2012 London Games on July 27.”
Let the Games begin!
Tags: Greece, Jacques Rogge, London, London Olympics, Olympia, Olympic Games, Sports, Torch
