Lighting the Olympic torch in Greece

Thursday was lighting the Olympic torch for the London Olympics, which begins in July 27 next, according to tradition in Olympia the cradle of the ancient Olympic Games in Greece, before they reach Britain.

The torch-lighting ceremony in the presence of IOC President Jacques Rogge, President of the Organizing Committee for the Games to London, Sebastian Coe, and many officials of the International Olympic Committee and the British authorities and Greek.

 The Grand Priestess Inoue Manegaki lit the Olympic flame through the "sun." Then, according to the rites prepared by Artemis Aenatio, handed the first torch bearer to the Greek Spyros Aaniotis world champion in swimming (10 km).

After the torch and handed it to British boxer Alexander Okos (19 years), the son of Greek immigrants.

And continue to journey the flame in Greece for a week, to visit five archaeological sites great, including the Acropolis, before they arrive in May 17 the current to the Olympic Stadium in the old capital of Athens, where was held the first version of the modern Olympic Games in 1896, and will hand over the torch to the British delegation Following the ceremony the following.

And will be the last carriers of the torch in Greece, Greek weightlifter Pyrrhus Dimas and Chinese gymnast Li Ning, who was the last bearer of the torch of the Beijing Olympics in 2008, where he Baiviadha in the stadium "Bird's Nest" on August 8 / August 2008, during the opening ceremony.

And start the journey of the flame of the British on 19 May / may present in the South West of England, and takes 70 days and 12,875 kilometers, until the opening ceremony scheduled for July 27 in London.

The torch will leave a one-time Britain, where moving to Ireland; because the International Olympic Committee decided to cancel the international stage after four years of the incidents that took place in many countries, including France, during the march of the international torch before the Beijing Olympics 2008.

Also canceled a visit to the International Olympic Committee torch to neighboring countries as it was in 2010 during her trip in the Winter Olympics in Vancouver (Canada) when I stopped in the United States.

The torch and continue the tradition of the Olympic Games in ancient Olympia, where they remain lighted throughout the days of competition, a tradition that was in 1936 during the Olympic Games in Berlin.