The Olympic flame for the Milan Cortina Winter Games landed in Rome on Thursday following a handover in Greece.
The flame was carried in a small lantern aboard an ITA Airways flight between the Greek and Italian capitals.
Tennis player Jasmine Paolini — an Olympic gold medalist — and local organizing committee president Giovanni Malago carried the flame off the plane.
Photo: AP
“I feel honored. It’s an incredible emotion,” Paolini said in brief remarks before the lantern was driven away toward the presidential palace.
A 63-day torch relay covering 12,000km is to start in Rome today and wind its way through all 110 Italian provinces before reaching Milan’s San Siro Stadium for the opening ceremony on Feb. 6.
It is the first time in nearly 20 years — since the 2006 Turin Games — that Italy has hosted the flame.
The flame was yesterday used to light a cauldron at the Quirinale Palace where Italian President Sergio Mattarella resides, with International Olympic Committee president Kirsty Coventry in attendance.
The torch relay — featuring 10,001 torch bearers — is to start from the statue-lined Stadio dei Marmi.
The flame was formally handed to Italian organizers earlier on Thursday in the all-marble stadium in central Athens where the first modern Olympics were held nearly 130 years ago.
“To stand here in this historic stadium provides an inspiring reminder of the honor we have been granted and the precious treasure we will carry home with us,” Malago said before receiving the flame.
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