Ancient Greece Prepares Olympic Flame Backup

With forecasts predicting stormy weather for the official ceremony, organizers in Ancient Olympia conducted a crucial backup rehearsal on Monday to light the flame for the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Games. An actress, embodying an ancient high priestess, skillfully used a concave mirror to concentrate sunlight, igniting the torch within seconds, a method steeped in tradition from the original Olympic Games. This success was contingent on clear skies, highlighting the reliance on natural elements for this symbolic act.

This precautionary measure was taken as meteorologists tracked weather patterns closely, identifying a narrow window of sunshine for the rehearsal. The backup flame, now secured, ensures the continuity of the tradition should the main lighting event on Wednesday be obscured by heavy clouds. Organizers had previously relied on a backup flame for the 2024 Paris Games, underscoring the importance of contingency planning.

The flame will embark on an extensive 63-day, 12,000-kilometer relay across Italy before reaching Milan's San Siro Stadium. The 2026 Winter Olympics, hosted jointly by Milan and Cortina, will debut ski mountaineering, increase female participation, and see the return of NHL players to hockey, promising an exciting event.