100 days before the start of the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang (09. till 25. February) the Olympic flame arrived in South Korea. South Korea’s figure skating icon Kim Yuna was one of the celebrities who carried the flame down the stairs after the flight from Greece to the airport of the city of Incheon.
“This is a very important and proud symbol of our work and mission to bring one of the most exciting sporting events in the world to our country,”said Lee Hee-Beom, head of the Pyeongchang 2018 Organizing Committee,”We want the Olympic torch relay to connect people to the Games and arouse a passion for Olympics throughout Korea,”said Lee.
7500 torchbearers were selected to carry the flame on its 2,018 km long journey through the country. A 13-year-old figure skater started out, although she is still too young to participate in the first winter games in South Korea.
In the presence of IOC President Thomas Bach, the Olympic fire in the Holy Grove of Ancient Olympia in Greece had been lit. Subsequently, the flame traveled over Greek soil and was carried by 505 torchbearers before arriving at the Acropolis in Athens on Monday evening and finally being brought to South Korea.