The Olympic flame for the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver has been lit during a ceremony at the Temple of Hera in the Greek town of Olympia, the site of the ancient Olympic games. The flame is lit by the reflection of sunlight in a parabolic mirror in the restored Olympic stadium.
The flame will be transported by 12,000 relay runners over a distance of more than 47,000 kilometres. The first relay runner will be giant slalom skier Vassilis Dimitriadis. Relay runners will carry the flame 2,180 kilometres to Athens over the coming week.
The flame will be flown to Victoria in British Colombia on 30 October. It will then be carried for 106 days on a 45,000-kilometre journey through Canada. The Winter Games will take place between 12 and 28 February.
Ruins of Temple of Hela in Olympia
Photo by Wikimedia Commons
Photo by Wikimedia Commons
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