With the Paris Olympics drawing closer, the timeless ritual of igniting the Olympic flame unfolded today in Olympia, Greece. This marks the commencement of the symbolic journey that bridges the ancient heritage of the Games with their contemporary counterpart. This tradition, dating back to the 1936 Games, is an enduring spirit uniting generations of athletes and spectators. As the countdown to the Paris Olympics reaches its zenith, the torch, ablaze with significance, embarks on a remarkable voyage to its ultimate destination.

With precisely 100 days remaining until the grand spectacle unfolds, the flame sets forth on an odyssey, traversing land and sea to reach the heart of the Games. Commencing its journey in Athens, the torch will embark on a voyage across the Mediterranean aboard a majestic three-masted sailboat bound for Marseille, France. From there, it will embark on a monumental relay across the diverse landscapes of France and culminate in its triumphant arrival in Paris on July 26. Amidst the excitement surrounding the torch’s journey, one might wonder: What happens if the Paris Olympics flame accidentally goes out?

How do organizers ensure the Paris Olympics flame never dies out?

During its journey, careful planning guarantees the flame travels without interruption. Each torch is meticulously designed to withstand various elements. Fueled by gas, the flame shows impressive endurance, often outlasting the relay itself. It rests overnight in a designated cauldron. But what if it were to extinguish? It’s not uncommon for the Olympic flame to accidentally or even intentionally go out during the torch relay.

To prevent such mishaps, organizers have multiple copies of the flame ready along the route or in backup locations. If a torch does go out, it’s swiftly re-lit from one of these backup sources. This ensures that whether it’s the torches or the Olympic cauldrons, they all share a common origin from the revered lighting ceremony at Olympia. However, certain mishaps have occurred in the past where the flame was extinguished.

Was the Olympic flame extinguished? The truth behind close calls and hidden safeguards!

At the onset of the 2004 Summer Olympics, amidst the grandeur of the Panathinaiko Stadium and the commencement of the global torch relay, a sudden gust of wind disrupted the solemnity. The torch, ignited by Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki, representative of the Athens 2004 Organizing Committee, succumbed to the force of nature and was extinguished. Fortunately, the flame was promptly rekindled from the backup flame sourced from the original flame ignited at Olympia, ensuring the seamless continuation of the relay.

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In a similar incident during the October 2014 Olympics in Russia, the Olympic flame was extinguished at the Kremlin. However, rather than resorting to the backup flame, quick thinking prevailed as a security officer stepped forward with a lighter, rekindling the torch’s flame. This incident spurred a redesign in the torch’s construction for future events, ensuring heightened reliability. The current torch design incorporates a safeguard: dual flames within the torch, a testament to the resilience born from experiences.

While the highly visible portion burns cooler and is susceptible to wind and rain, a smaller, hotter flame, akin to a pilot light, remains hidden inside the torch, protected from the elements. This internal flame serves as a fail-safe, capable of relighting the visible portion if extinguished. Powered by the fuel that sustains it for approximately 15 minutes, the torch is engineered for continuity throughout its journey. However, it will be interesting to successful flame relay to Paris at the Olympics 2024.