In a clothing practice in ancient Olympia on Monday ahead of Tuesday’s formal meeting that will mark the last stretch of the Games in France, the light for the Paris 2024 Olympics was lit by the sun’s rays.
In the ultimate training for Tuesday’s standard meeting at the site of the Olympic Games in ancient Greece, a Greek artist playing the high priest used a conical picture and the sun’s rays to set the light.
The ceremony marks the start of a light switch in Greece and France that may begin the Games on July 26 in Paris.
With hot temperatures and mostly sunny skies, the light will likely be lit on Tuesday in front of Greece’s president of the republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, Paris Anne Hidalgo, and the IOC management.
The fire lit during the dress training is used as a backup in the event of clouds that prevent the use of the camera to light the light.
At the beginning of an 11-day Greek circuit, artist Mary Mina may pass the torch to the first leader, Olympic sailing champion Stefanos Ntouskos, at the edge of the historic Olympic stadium after lighting the torch on Tuesday.
On April 26, the fire will then be handed over to the Paris Games organizers in Athens, where it will spend a day before setting sail for France on a three-masted ship called the ‘Belem.
Up to 150,000 people are expected to attend the ceremony in Marseille’s Old Port on May 8 for the opening of the European foot of the switch.
Marseille, founded by the Greek inhabitants of Phocaea around 600 BC, will host the flying events.
The European torch relay will next 68 days and will result in the illumination of the Olympic fire at the opening ceremony of the Games on July 26.
( Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Christian Radnedge )