Oct. 29 - Greece handed the Olympic flame to Canada, hosts of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games, for the longest domestic torch relay ever -- ahead of the February 12 opening ceremony. The handover ceremony on Thursday (October 29) in Athens' Panathenian stadium, site of the first modern Olympics in 1896, concluded an eight-day torch relay in Greece. High Priestess Maria Nafpliotou, an actress, and priestesses holding olive-tree branches performed a ritual surrounding the altar before the flame was handed to Vancouver Games chief John Furlong. "Today we accept the Olympic flame with humility, with respect and joy," Furlong said. "This moment marks the beginning of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic torch relay. Our 106 day odyssey of hope and peaceful celebration leading to the opening of the 21st Olympiad." About 200 citizens, tourists, athletes and officials, including Canadian Governor General Michaelle Jean, watched Furlong carry the flame in a safety lamp outside the stadium, followed by athletes holding the Greek and the Canadian flags. The flame will arrive in Victoria, Canada on Friday. By Feb. 12 the flame will have traveled more than 45,000 kms by land, air and water in the hands of 12,000 torchbearers and will have visited over 1,000 Canadian communities. 選択されているビデオはありません。 プレイリストに追加するには、ビデオの をクリックしてください。