Fueling the flame

Former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, a 12-year-old author, and a grandmother from San Diego may not seem to have much in common. But organizers of this year's Olympic Torch Relay decided each one of them is "an inspiration to others."

This was the primary qualification for the 11,500 individuals chosen to carry the Olympic torch from Atlanta, site of the 1996 summer Games, to the final destination, the opening ceremonies of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City on Feb. 8.

The call for 50- to 100-word nominations went out last spring, and about 210,000 glowing essays were submitted by friends, colleagues, and family members of potential flame carriers.

Most of the torchbearers are not celebrities. They are ordinary folks, some of whom have overcome severe hardships to lead happy, productive lives. Others are big-hearted types who have deeply touched their families and communities with their kind deeds.

"At some point you had to quit crying," says Susan Bandy, who headed up one of the 96 task forces that reviewed nomination letters. "It's incredible dealing with all the stories."

And also incredible for those chosen.

Bev Bourne is still pinching herself. When the Nebraska resident received an e-mail notifying her that she'd been chosen, she almost deleted it. "I thought it was spam," she recalls.

Fortunately, Mrs. Bourne gave it another look, and then shrieked for joy when she realized it was for real.

The Olympic flame was lit on Nov. 19 in a ceremony at the site of the ancient Olympic stadium in Olympia, Greece. From there, it traveled to Athens, then by airplane, in a special container, to Atlanta.

Relay runners like Mrs. Bourne aren't the only ones helping to transport the torch across 46 states to Salt Lake City. Car, airplane, train, ship, dogsled, horse-drawn sleigh, snowmobile, prairie schooner, ice skaters, and a skier have also been assisting in the 65-day, 13,500-mile journey.

The torch pauses for two city celebrations each day. The flame is kept in a lantern traveling with the relay, which is closely guarded to ensure the flame won't be extinguished. A torch is lighted from the flame each morning to start that day's relay.

During the ancient Olympic Games in Greece, a sacred flame burned at the altar of Zeus, in whose honor the games were held. Its lighting signaled the opening of the games, and its extinguishing signaled the end.

The Olympic flame first became a tradition of the modern Olympics at the 1928 Amsterdam Games, when it was lighted and remained at Olympic Stadium throughout the event.

Eight years later, Carl Diem of Germany, inspired by ancient Greek drawings, created the first Olympic Torch Relay. The flame traveled from Olympia to Berlin as part of the 1936 Olympic ceremony.

A torch relay has been held, in one form or another, at every Olympics since. The original purpose was not only to alert athletes to the start of the games, but also to bring a halt to war. "At the ancient games," explains Lindsay Rowles, spokesperson for the 2002 Olympic Torch Relay, "runners carried the flame through the towns as a declaration of truce. So it is a symbol of peace and unity."

Alice Kenniston, San Diego

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