Monday, 7 November 2011

OLYMPICS: Torch relay route unveiled

Today, details of where the 2012 Olympic Torch will go on its way to the opening ceremony of the London Olympics has been announced.

Click here for an interactive map of where and when the Torch might be near you.


The torch will travel around 8,000 miles and be carried by 8,000 torchbearers between 19th May and 27th July. Its journey will end with a trip down the River Thames to the Olympic Park.

During its journey it will travel to all parts of the UK including visits to major historic landmarks including Stonehenge, the Giant's Causeway, Edinburgh Castle and Mount Snowdon as well as being carried by canoe, balloon and even a zip wire!

LOCOG, organisers of the London games, claim the torch will pass within 10 miles of 95% of the population.

The Olympic Torch wasn't part of the Olympics when they began in 1896 but was added at the 1936 Berlin Games.



Since then, the Olympic Torch has been the centre piece of the opening ceremony,  with much speculation as to who will light the Olympic flame in the stadium (I'd bet on it being Steve Redgrave next summer!).

The Olympic Torch has had it's fair share of controversy most notably, perhaps, in 2008 when there were various attempts to put out the Olympic Flame as a protest against China's human rights record and, in particular, it's occupation of Tibet. During the London leg of the torch relay, security guards formed a "ring of steel" around the Flame to protect it, but one protester still managed to grab the torch while it was being carried by Konnie Huq.


 
The 2012 relay isn't going all round the world, as in previous relays.

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