Olympic flame receives rousing welcome in Greece

The Olympic flame, which was lit in a traditional ceremony in Ancient Olympia last week, has been welcomed by jubilant scenes across Greece as thousands of fans up and down the country have lined the streets to cheer on the torchbearers.

The eight-day Greek leg of the relay reached its half-way point on Sunday, travelling from the western city of Ioannina to Thessaloniki in the north. The flame received a particularly rousing welcome in the city of Veria, with the involvement of a local children’s choir which sang the Olympic Anthem and the Greek National Anthem.

On Thursday 17 May, the flame will be in Athens, where it will be handed over to the London 2012 Organising Committee in a ceremony held in the Panathenaic stadium. The flame will then be flown to Great Britain, where the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay will start its journey around the host nation on 19 May.

Find out more about the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay Presenting Partners.