The flame for the Tokyo Olympics 2020 was lit on Thursday in a torch lighting ceremony held in ancient Olympia in Greece behind closed doors as the country registered its first death from coronavirus recently.
Taking to their official Twitter handle, Olympics posted a video of the lighting ceremony, which took place without spectators and marked the beginning of a torch relay that will end with the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Games on July 24.
In the video, Greek actress Xanthi Georgiou could be seen dressed as an ancient Greek high priestess who lit the flame by using the rays of the sun reflected off a concave mirror.
The Olympic flame has been lit. #Tokyo2020 #OlympicTorchRelay #UnitedByEmotion pic.twitter.com/3ofUWWMeI2
— #Tokyo2020 (@Tokyo2020) March 12, 2020
Georgiou then passes the flame to Greek shooting athlete Anna Korakaki, who became the first female torchbearer to ever start the Olympic Torch Relay.
Korakaki, who clinched a gold medal in the 25m pistol category at the 2016 Rio Olympics, holds the Olympic flame and an olive branch during the flame lighting ceremony.
Anna Korakaki has made history by becoming the first female torchbearer to ever start the #OlympicTorchRelay
The gold medal winning shooter from Rio 2016 will receive the @OlympicFlame and an olive branch. #UnitedByEmotion #Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/VlqpGauRjq
— #Tokyo2020 (@Tokyo2020) March 12, 2020
The Greek shooter then passed the flame to Japanese torch relay runner Mizuki Noguchi by a process called a “torch kiss”.
Anna Korakaki will now pass the flame to Mizuki Noguchi, the first Japanese torch relay runner.
A marathon gold medallist at Athens 2004 , Mizuki Noguchi will receive the flame by a process called a “torch kiss”. #OlymipicTorchRelay #UnitedByEmotion #Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/wUY856Xo4U
— #Tokyo2020 (@Tokyo2020) March 12, 2020
International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach and Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos were among a few to attend the ceremony.
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics is slated to place from July 24 to August 9. However, the global spread of coronavirus has cast doubt over whether the quadrennial sporting event will take place as scheduled.
On Wednesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) had labeled the outbreak of coronavirus (COVD-19) a 'pandemic.'
