Official announcements by the Paris 2024 Organizing Committee or major news outlets

Paris 2024 Olympic Flame Lit Using Backup Amid Cloudy Skies

Apr 17, 2024, 08:16 AM

The Olympic flame for the Paris 2024 Games was officially lit in a ceremony at Olympia, Greece, near the ancient Temple of Hera. Due to cloudy skies, the traditional method using the sun's rays was hindered, and a backup flame lit during the final rehearsal was used instead. The event featured a Greek actor portraying a high priestess, who used a parabolic mirror to ignite the flame. The torch, carried by Greek Olympic rowing champion Stefanos Ntouskos as the first torchbearer, will travel over 3,100 miles through Greece, involving 600 torchbearers, before being handed over to Paris Games organizers in Athens on April 26. The flame will then embark on a 12,000 km journey to Paris, symbolizing a message of peace and unity.