London Set To Welcome The Olympic Flame
After travelling the length and breadth of the country the Olympic flame is heading into London to mark the start of the 2012 Games. Since the flame arrived from its sacred home in Greece it will have spent, in total, seventy days travelling around the United Kingdom before finally making it to the Olympic Stadium in London to officially mark the commencement of the games. Across the course of those seventy days the flame will have been carried by an array of incredible people, from the famous to the ordinary. In total there will have been eight thousand torch bearers holding the flame aloft, igniting the spark of excitement and hope that the flame bring with it.
Community Spirit
From the very young to the very old the torch has been carried by people recognised by their peers as being extraordinary, from overcoming insurmountable odds to making a difference to the community in which they live. Each has been proud to have held the flame aloft through their own towns, and the community has cheered them every step of the way. Along the way the flame has made some spectacular trips, the most memorable being the incredible zip line journey from the top of the Tyne Bridge in Newcastle, in the capable hands of adventurer Bear Grylls, other forms of transport have included an authentic steam train and horseback.
Hitting the Home Straight
The torch is set to arrive in London on 21st July and is set to travel through each of the London Boroughs before it gets to the Olympic Stadium on the 27th. The day before the Olympics begin the torch will be taken through some of the major sites and attractions of the city, before the day’s journey comes to a close with an incredible Olympic Torch Relay Finale Concert which will take place in Hyde Park. The city of London is expected to be filled to capacity for this last leg of the torch relay, with crowds set to gather at all of the relay locations which include:
- Camden’s Roundhouse
- A River Barge on Regent’s Canal
- St Pancras International’s Giant Olympic Rings
- St Pauls Cathedral
- The Museum of London
- White City – Site of the 1908 London Olympics
- Trafalgar Square
- Downing Street
- Buckingham Palace
The Torch Design
The concept of the torch design is an embodiment of everything that the Olympics are said to represent. All aspects of the design have a relation to the number three, for example there are three sides to the conical torch to represent both the Olympic ethos of friendship, respect and excellence, as well as the three word motto of higher, faster, and stronger. This will also be the third time that London has staged the games. The torch’s London designers Jay Osgerby and Edward Barber also made sure that the lattice work of the torch contained eight thousand holes, each of which is designed to represent each and every one of the eight thousand torch bearers taking part in the relay.
