Athens: The Olympic flame as a way to burn in Rio in August for the primary games in South america turned into handed over to Brazil on Wednesday in the marble stadium that hosted the first modern games in 1896.
After a six-day trek throughout Greece, the flame that turned into lit remaining Thursday with the aid of the solar’s rays at the birthplace of the games in ancient Olympia changed into presented to the Brazilian organisers.
From its in a single day perch at the Acropolis museum, it travelled thru the streets of Athens earlier than being carried into the stadium – which turned into built in 330 BC – through Greek excessive leap Olympic medalist Niki Bakoyianni.
After a relay within the stadium, Greek rowing champion Katerina Nikolairou lit the golden cauldron, surrounded via priestesses in lengthy pleated clothes, and the group erupted into cheers.
“We … promise (to) supply high-quality video games,” Rio games leader Carlos Nuzman said on the handover ceremony.
Rio de Janeiro will host the summer season Olympics from August five-21 however arrangements had been plagued by means of the u . s .’s worst recession in decades and attentions distracted via political turmoil.
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff is going through impeachment for alleged budget fraud and federal prosecutors are investigating Olympic initiatives for suspected corruption.
ticket income have lagged compared to previous video games, with simply 62 percent bought so far, in line with the Rio 2016 organising committee.
Organisers have also grappled with pollutants in waters off Rio in which sailing and rowing events can be held, and a pandemic of the mosquito-borne Zika virus, connected to beginning defects in hundreds of children in northern Brazil.
The flame might be flown in unique protection lanterns to Switzerland for a rite on the United countries in Geneva on Thursday.
It arrives in Brazil on may also 3 for a relay across the united states inside the fingers of 12,000 torch-bearers earlier than reaching in Rio for the outlet rite on August 5.
Greece hosted the summer Olympics in 2004.