Winter Olympics Flame's Journey Begins Under Cloudy Skies

The Olympic flame's journey to the Milan Cortina Winter Games started with a twist. Bad weather in western Greece forced the torch-lighting ceremony indoors, moving it from the ancient stadium to a nearby museum. The flame, usually lit by the sun's rays, had to rely on a backup flame from a rehearsal due to the overcast skies. Greek rower Petros Gaidatzis kicked off the torch relay, which will involve about 10, 000 runners across Italy before the games begin. Despite the weather, the sun made a brief appearance, adding a touch of magic to the indoor ceremony. IOC President Kirsty Coventry, overseeing her first torch lighting, called the event memorable and emotional, blending the past and present. Italy is hosting its third Winter Games, but the preparations have faced challenges like cost overruns and construction delays. Still, organizers promise an exciting program with 116 medal events, the debut of ski mountaineering, more female participants, and the return of NHL players to Olympic hockey. The flame will tour Greece before starting a 63-day, 12, 000-kilometer relay through all 110 Italian provinces. This journey will highlight cultural sites and host venues, ending at Milan's San Siro Stadium for the opening ceremony. Speakers at the ceremony urged world leaders to embrace the Olympic Truce, an ancient Greek tradition that pauses conflicts during the games. Despite the indoor move, the ceremony kept its traditional elements, including performances by dancers dressed as priestesses and male kouroi, and invocations in Greek to the ancient gods. The artistic director noted that the setback turned into an opportunity, giving the ceremony a timeless feel among the statues. A separate flame for the Winter Paralympics will be lit on February 24 at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in England, the birthplace of the Paralympic movement.