Overview
- Heavy rain moved the ritual from the Temple of Hera to the Archaeological Museum, with the ceremony held without a general public audience.
- The Declaration of the Olympic Truce was signed in Olympia by IOC President Kirsty Coventry, Italy’s sports minister Andrea Abodi, Giovanni Malagò, CONI president Luciano Buonfiglio and Italian ambassador Paolo Cuculi.
- The torch has started a nine‑day, roughly 2,200‑kilometre relay across Greece with about 450 torchbearers, ahead of the handover at Athens’ Panathinaiko Stadium on 4 December and transfer to Rome the same day.
- Greek rower Petros Gaidatzis led off as first torchbearer after AJ Ginnis’ injury, with Italy’s Armin Zöggeler and Stefania Belmondo among the early carriers set to receive the flame.
- Reports differ on the lighting method due to the weather, with some accounts citing the parabolic mirror indoors and others indicating use of a reserve flame prepared during rehearsals.