Paris 2024 officials light Olympic torch in Greece

The flame that is to burn at the Paris Olympics was kindled today at the site of the ancient games in southern Greece. Cloudy skies "prevented the traditional lighting," when an actress dressed as an ancient Greek priestess "uses the sun to ignite a silver torch." Instead, a "backup flame" was used that had been lit on the same spot yesterday, during the final rehearsal. A "relay of torchbearers" will carry the flame more than 3,100 miles through Greece until the handover to Paris Games organizers in Athens on April 26. The first torchbearer was Greek rower Stefanos Douskos, a gold medalist in 2021 at the Tokyo Games (AP, 4/16).