The Olympic bonfire is 108 days before the opening of the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang/South Korea (9. till 25. February) in the Holy Grove of the Ancient Olympics in Greece. In the presence of the German IOC President Thomas Bach, the fire was lit at 11.33 a. m. (CEST).
Because of the cloudy sky with a few raindrops, the fire could not be lit by the rays of the sun according to the rites with a parabolic mirror. Instead, the fire used in the dress rehearsal was used, which had been stored because of the unfavourable weather forecast.
Bach evoked the power of the Olympic movement:”The Pyeongchang Games will show the world that Olympic values are stronger than the divisive currents:” The Olympic Games have the strength to build bridges and make friendships in our fragile world more than ever. The Olympic values of peace, respect and mutual understanding are essential in our times.”
The first torchbearer was the Greek cross-country skier Apostolos Angelis, the 24-year-old handed over the fire to the famous South Korean footballer Park Ji-Sung (formerly Manchester United) after a few minutes. They are followed by thousands of other vehicles on the way of fire to the Olympic Stadium in Pyeongchang.
From the Temple of Hera, the torch takes its way through Greece for more than 2000 km, before it will be transported by plane to South Korea, which is 8500 km away.
From the city of Incheon, which is home to over a million people, the flame will be ignited from the 1st century BC. The host country of the 23rd World Cup will hold the remaining 100 days until the opening ceremony on November 23rd. Olympic Winter Games.
The IOC and the Olympic movement are in difficult times. In addition to the exacerbated political situation on the Korean peninsula and the resulting security concerns of some prominent athletes, the IOC must continue to address the state doping scandal in Russia as well as the corruption affair surrounding Carlos Arthur Nuzman, head of the organization of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.