Ancient Olympia Ready for the Spotlight

(ATR) Ancient Olympia prepares for its biennial moment in the sun. The Rio 2016 Olympic Torch relay begins Thursday with the traditional lighting of the flame at the site where the Games began nearly 3,000 years ago.

Townspeople were already feeling a flicker of excitement with the ceremony still two days away.

"This is an Olympic year and an Olympic week here in Olympia," said Nontas Galanis, a native of the ancient town who owns the jewelry store "Apollo" with his cousin. "We are the birthplace of the Olympics, but this doesn’t belong to us; it belongs to the world."

And the world comes to Olympia every two years, with thousands of visitors expected. The president of the Hellenic Republic, Prokopis Pavlopoulos, IOC President Thomas Bach and Rio de Janeiro mayor Eduardo Paes (Brazil president Dilma Rousseff sent her regrets as she battles impeachment) lead the list of dignitaries.

Still, with so much attention on the horizon, Ancient Olympia was quiet Tuesday with few tourists on the shopping streets. Those browsing for mementos could buy dresses similar to those worn by priestesses in the ceremony at the Temple of Hera, which began a mere 80 years ago with the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games. Lampposts were festooned with the Greek and Brazilian flags, plus occasional flags from previous Olympic hosts.

Only one visitor on Tuesday afternoon took in the exhibits at the Museum of the Ancient Olympic Games, while a smattering of tours for adults and schoolchildren explored the archeological site. They sought shade under trees amid the ruins where earlier in the day the first rehearsal took place and was "absolutely successful," according to the Hellenic Olympic Committee.

The dress rehearsal is Wednesday at noon and is open to the public.

A festival Tuesday night will kick off the official activities, which include a rugby sevens tournament on Wednesday night.

The weather is expected to be warm and sunny for the ceremony on Thursday. "Apollo and the goddesses will work on it," promised Galanis. "They will accept the prayer of the priestesses and bestow the flame of the sun. And one more time the spirit will unite all the nations."

Galanis was one of six young men accompanying the first torchbearer on the 1976 Montreal relay. In 1980, he carried the Olympic flame himself just outside Olympia on its way to Moscow. He has the torch in his shop, as well as signed photos of the two final torchbearers in 1976 and 1968. Galanis also has photos showing his meetings with Jacques Rogge, the former IOC president, and George H.W. Bush, the former U.S. president.

While young women born in Olympia aspire to be part of the ceremony with the priestesses, young men want to run with the flame. "You have to be athletic," Galanis said.

Alex Liakopoylos, who owns a store featuring high-end Greek souvenirs, was 15 years old when he ran with the first torchbearer on the Moscow relay.

"I have good memories," he said.

He recalled when the Olympic flame was lit in 1996, Hillary Rodham Clinton, then the First Lady of the United States, sat at a table next to him at the Olympic Academy. He shook hands with her.

Both Liakopoylos and Galanis will attend the ceremony Thursday.

While the final torchbearer in Rio on August 5 will be a secret – just as it is at every Olympic Games – the first torchbearer is usually a well-known Greek athlete. After the flame is kindled in a parabolic mirror, High Priestess Katerina Lehou will pass it to Lefteris Petrounias, a world champion in gymnastics.

The second torchbearer will be Brazilian, the former volleyball player Giovane Gávio.

After a week traveling throughout Greece, the handover ceremony will take place in the Athens Panathenaic Stadium on April 27.

Written and reported by Karen Rosenin Ancient Olympia.

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