Greek gymnast chosen to start Summer Olympics torch relay
Eleftherios Petrounias of Greece competes during the world artistic gymnastics championships on Oct. 31.
A world champion gymnast from Greece has been chosen to start the torch relay that will eventually find its way to Rio de Janeiro for the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Eleftherios Petrounias will receive the flame late next week at a ceremony in Olympia, the birthplace of the ancient Games in southern Greece.
An actress playing the role of the High Priestess of the Goddess Hera will use the sun’s rays and a parabolic mirror to ignite the torch before handing it to Petrounias.
“The lighting of the flame links the ancient and modern civilizations,” said Spyros Capralos, president of the Hellenic Olympic Committee.
Giovane Gavio, a former volleyball player from Brazil, will be next in line to receive the torch at the April 21 event, the committee said.
The relay is scheduled to reach Brazil in early May and wind through hundreds of cities and towns before arriving at the Aug. 5 opening ceremony.
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