Pheidippides

Years and years ago the Ancient Greeks had a war with the Persians in a place called Marathon. The Greeks won the battle and a man called Pheidippides was sent to take the message of the victory to Athens.

Pheidippides ran 42.2 km from Marathon to Athens in the hot sun. Going over rocky mountains Pheidippides felt so tired with no water, food and sleep.

As he delivered the message, Pheidippides shouted “Joy! We won!” to the people of Athens- he collapsed and died.

The Olympic flame

 The Ancient Greeks started the tradition of having an Olympic flame in Olympia. A sacred flame is lit by the sun's rays and stays alight until the games have ended. The flame symbolized a request for protection from Zeus and the athletes’ struggles for victory.

 The modern flame symbolizes the light of the spirit, knowledge and life. To this day, the torch is still lit in Olympia in Greece, then carried by a relay team passing runner to runner until it reaches the host-city of the games. There, the cauldron will be lit and stay alight until the closing ceremony.