A splendorous ceremony to hand over the Olympic Flame to the organizers of the 2024 Paris Games took place on Friday afternoon at central Athens’ U-shaped Panathenaic (Panathinaiko) stadium, the venue where the first Games of the modern era took place in 1896.
Paris 2024 Olympics – Olympic Flame Handover Ceremony – Panathenaic Stadium, Athens, Greece – April 26, 2024 President of the Hellenic Olympic Committee and member of the International Olympic Committee Spyros Capralos and Tony Estanguet, president of the Paris 2024 Olympics organising committee hold the olympic flame during the Handover Ceremony REUTERS/Louisa Gouliamaki
The internationally televised ceremony before thousands of spectators at the marble-covered stadium was officiated by Greek-French presenter Nikos Aliagas, with acclaimed singer Nana Mouskouri performing the Greek and French national anthems, respectively, accompanied by the national broadcaster’s (ERT) symphonic orchestra.
From Greece to France… 🇬🇷
From Athens to Marseille… 🇫🇷An Olympic sunset as we look forward to the Olympic Torch Relay reaching French soil. 🌄#OlympicTorchRelay | #Paris2024 | @Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/wxCb7eI3zX
— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) April 26, 2024
The torch-bearer carrying the Olympic Flame was European race-walking champion Antigoni Drisbioti, with the last torch-bearer being the Tokyo Games silver medalist Ioannis Fountoulis, Greek men’s water polo team captain.
Hellenic Olympic Committee (HOC) President Spyros Capralos handed over the Olympic Torch with the Flame for the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad to the head of the Paris organizing committee, Tony Estanguet, himself a three-time Olympic canoeing champion.
🔥The Olympic flame leaves the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens and will soon be in France.
⚓ On Saturday, it boards the French ship Belem, bound for Marseille.#OlympicTorchRelay | #Paris2024 | @Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/AcLAdt8d4K
— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) April 26, 2024
🔥 The handover is beginning! The High Priestess passes the Olympic torch to Mr. Spyros Capralos, President of the Hellenic Olympic Committee. 🇬🇷#OlympicTorchRelay | #Paris2024 | @Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/5B8W1qcMjy
— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) April 26, 2024
Paris 2024 Olympics – Olympic Flame Handover Ceremony – Panathenaic Stadium, Athens, Greece – April 26, 2024 Greek actress Mary Mina, playing the role of High Priestess is seen near the cauldron during the Handover Ceremony REUTERS/Louiza Vradi.
This ceremony marks the end of the 11-day Olympic Torch Relay through Greece, which began on 16 April as the flame for Paris 2024 was lit in a ceremony at the archaeological site of Olympia: the birthplace of the ancient Olympic Games.
