On the Scene: Anticipation for Sochi Olympic Flame Lighting

(ATR) Following a rehearsal Saturday, another beautiful day is expected for the Olympic Flame Lighting Ceremony on Sunday in Ancient Olympia, the birthplace of the Olympic Games. The traditional ceremony, which has taken place dating back to the 1936 Berlin Games, is the beginning of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Torch Relay.

Under bright, sunny skies, the rehearsal involved a troupe of performers at the ruins of the Temple of Hera. As is tradition, the Olympic flame is lit using the sun’s rays, reflected on a large parabolic mirror, said to symbolize the approval of the gods to host the Games.

The flame is then carried by an actress in the role of High Priestess, accompanied by her entourage into the stadium where the first Olympic Games were held between 776 BC and 393 AD.

High Priestess Ino Menegaki passes the flame, and an olive branch signifying peace, to the first torchbearer, who will be Greek alpine skier Ioannis Antoniou.

The first Russian torchbearer on Sunday will be hockey star and Sochi 2014 Ambassador Alexander Ovechkin, who is expected to arrive in Ancient Olympia on Saturday.

Newly elected IOC President Thomas Bach along with Russian Olympic Committee President and new IOC member Alexander Zhukov, Hellenic Olympic Committee President Spyros Capralos and Sochi 2014 CEO Dmitry Cherynshenko will be in attendance for Sunday’s ceremony.

"I’m sure you could feel the power and spirit of the flame today," said Capralos after Saturday’s ceremony rehearsal which was open to the public.

"The Hellenic Olympic Committee is the proud guardian of the Olympic flame." Capralos said.

"Tomorrow, will be a very important day for us because we will have the presence of the new President of the IOC, Thomas Bach, here in Olympia."

"Open up your hearts tomorrow and follow the symbols and symbolism of the Olympic Games," said Capralos during a news conference after the rehearsal.

A torch relay through Greece follows the lighting ceremony with Greek alpine skier Ioannis Antoniou carrying the flame around the 212-meter track at the ancient stadium. The flame’s journey around Greece will include 285 torchbearers and travel 2,000 kilometers over six days and night culminating at the Acropolis.

"We will show the concept of friendship, peace and fair play," said Ioannis Karras, of the Hellenic Olympic Torch Relay Commission. "We will try to promote Olympic ideals to youngsters and bring youngstersto sport."

The handover ceremony of the Olympic Flame to Sochi will take place Oct. 5at the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens.

The 123-day Sochi 2014 Torch Relay, the longest in Olympic history, will travel 65,000 kilometers by foot, car, train, plane, reindeer sleigh and Russian troika, passing through 2,900 towns and cities.

"The Sochi Torch Relay will share the magic of Russia with the entire world," Chernyshenko said. "It will celebrate our history and culture. It will visit every corner of our country."

"The Olympic Torch Relay plays a tremendous role in transmitting the Olympic values," said Russian Olympic Committee President Zhukov.

"The primary mission of the Olympic Torch Relay is to unite the whole country of Russia. Everyone will have the chanceto see the Olympic flame with their own eyes. It will be most grandiose in the history of the Olympic Games," said Zhukov.

"We cannot wait to start tomorrow the last lap of our race – it will be very exciting for us," added Chernyshenko. "For us, the Games will start tomorrow in Ancient Olympia."

Memories of Moscow 1980 for Hellenic Olympic Committee Chief

Hellenic Olympic Committee president Spyros Capralos reminisced to reporters about representing Greece in water polo at the 1980 Moscow Games.

"It was one of the best Olympic ceremonies and I’ve attended many Olympics," Capralos said of the Moscow Opening Ceremony.

"It had a lot of passion and emotion and I remember that the athletes were able to sit in the stands."

Chernyshenko, who was sitting adjacent to Capralos at the news conference in Olympia, then broke the news that in Sochi, athletes will be allowed to sit in the stands to watch the opening ceremony."

Regarding Greece competing at Russia’s first Olympic Winter Games, Capralos said: "We do not have a great tradition in winter sports, but our young skier Antoniou is one of our best hopes to qualify for the Sochi Games and also in skeleton, ski jumping, cross-country and biathlon.

"We are not hoping for medals in Sochi, but what is important for us is to take part. I’m very proud that we are sending a team to Sochi."

Reported by Brian Pinelli in Olympia

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