As the anticipation builds for the revealing of the 2024 torch relay route in Paris, it is solely becoming to take a nostalgic journey down reminiscence lane, reflecting on among the most charming moments within the historical past of this iconic occasion.
Since its inception forward of the 1936 Berlin Olympics, the Olympic torch has ventured to extraordinary areas, however not with out its fair proportion of mishaps and sudden surprises.
Flaming underpants
The yr was 1956, and the town of Melbourne was abuzz with pleasure because the torch relay approached.
Enter Barry Larkin, an audacious Australian pupil who determined to make his mark on Olympic historical past.
Larkin’s ingenious stunt concerned a home made torch adorned with a peculiar but unforgettable sight – a pair of burning underpants perched atop a picket chair leg, hid inside a steel pudding container.
Undeterred by the unconventional selection, Larkin efficiently navigated the steps of Sydney’s Town Hall, charming tens of 1000’s of spectators.
Despite his self-arranged pretend motorbike escort, legislation enforcement swiftly caught up with him, bringing an finish to his fiery escapade.
Runaway jaguar
In 2016, because the torch journeyed by way of the plush Amazon area of northern Brazil to organize for the Rio Games, an sudden encounter with nature added a wild twist to the relay.
A 17-year-old jaguar named Juma was paraded, albeit in chains, for an awe-inspiring picture alternative.
However, destiny had different plans as Juma managed to interrupt free from its captors, eluding tranquilizer darts aimed to calm its spirit.
Amid the chaos, the animal’s habits turned more and more unpredictable, posing a risk to a vet.
In a heartbreaking flip of occasions, troopers had been pressured to intervene, in the end taking the lifetime of this symbolic creature of the Amazon.
Cauldron calamity
The end result of the torch relay, the long-lasting lighting of the Olympic cauldron, has witnessed its fair proportion of charming moments all through historical past.
From Muhammad Ali’s poignant trembles because of Parkinson’s illness to an archer’s blazing arrow in Barcelona, these instants stay etched in our collective reminiscence.
However, perfection is not all the time assured.
Seoul 1988 delivered a grisly blunder as doves launched earlier in the course of the opening ceremony inadvertently landed on the cauldron.
As the flame was ignited, a horrific spectacle unfolded, with a number of birds assembly a fiery destiny earlier than the eyes of shocked onlookers.
Heated Protests
Beyond its celebratory spirit, the torch relay has usually change into a platform for passionate protests.
Beijing 2008 stands out as a major turning level when demonstrators seized the chance to voice their issues over China’s Tibet coverage.
Sparking controversy from the second the flame was kindled in historical Olympia, these protests endured all through the relay, leaving an indelible mark on its journey by way of cities like London, Paris, and San Francisco.
Notably, even in Japan, monks at an historical Buddhist temple withdrew their participation in a torch ceremony to precise solidarity with the Chinese crackdown in Tibet.
No cheering, please
The long-awaited Tokyo 2020 Olympics lastly unfolded in 2021, however not with out unprecedented challenges.
In response to the continued COVID-19 pandemic, abroad followers had been disallowed from attending the Games, setting a somber tone for all the occasion.
The torch relay itself mirrored this subdued ambiance, with public sections of the journey canceled in areas grappling with a surge in virus circumstances.
Even in areas the place masked spectators had been permitted to collect, strict directions had been issued to not shout or cheer, conscious of potential virus transmission by way of saliva.
Against this backdrop, the honour of lighting the cauldron within the hauntingly empty Tokyo stadium fell upon tennis sensation Naomi Osaka.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
