THE Guyana Olympic Association has received a replica of the official Olympic torch which is currently making the rounds in Brazil, the host country 2016 Olympic Games from August 5 to 21.President of the GOA, K. A Juman-Yassin, yesterday displayed the torch at Olympic House. He noted that the torch will find a permanent home as part of the artifacts on display at the GOA’s museum, when it opens up. The GOA museum is set to be housed in the GOA headquarters, in Liliendaal, once the building is completed.
The official Olympic torch is on a 95-day journey around Brazil, and is expected to arrive at the Games city, Rio de Janeiro, the day before the Games are officially set to begin. That torch carries a flame that will be used to light the cauldron at the Games at the beginning of the event.
After being lit, the cauldron flame continues to burn throughout the Games, until the day of the closing ceremony and celebration, when it is finally put out, symbolising the official end of the Games.
The torch and flame are a symbol of the Olympic Games. The fire was introduced at the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam, and it has been part of the modern Olympic Games ever since.