Flame arrives in Brasilia…
Maria Esther Bueno is a Bradesco Torch Ambassador and helped to launch the Torch Relay
“I’ve been watching the arrival of the Olympic flame in Brasilia early this morning and it was absolutely fantastic!” Maria Esther Bueno, a Bradesco Torch Ambassador, told her website.
“It was so emotional and moving to see it arrive and be carried through the cathedral and around the city. Absolutely amazing!
“It arrived very early in the morning and the sky was an incredible blue. It was all televised live and everyone was watching.”
The Olympic Flame arrived in Brasilia escorted by two Air Force jets
The Olympic flame arrived in Brazil on a special flight operated by LATAM Airlines escorted by two Air Force jets, landing in the capital Brasília early on the morning of Wednesday 3 May, carrying the flame from the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland to its new home in Brazil.
Over the course of the next 95 days, the Olympic torch will visit more than 300 towns and cities all over Brazil, before arriving in the Maracanã stadium in Rio de Janeiro for the Opening Ceremony of the 31st Olympic Games on 5 August.
Rio 2016 President Carlos Arthur Guzman carries the Flame onto Brazilian soil.
Carried down the steps from the aircraft by Rio 2016 President Carlos Arthur Nuzman, the flame then moved onto the Pálacio do Planalto, the official workplace of the President of Brazil, Dilma Rousseff.
“Brazil is now the country of the Games. We will remember this day and it will go down in history,” she said, before using the flame to light the Rio 2016 Olympic Torch and pass it to double Olympic volleyball champion Fabiana Claudino to start the Brazilian phase of the torch relay.
The flame was lit at at traditional ceremony in the Temple of Hera in Olympia in Greece, on 21 April, using a parabolic mirror reflecting the sun’s rays in accordance with ancient custom.
That same day, a torch relay began that took the flame all over Greece, before visiting the United Nations in Geneva and the Olympic Museum in Lausanne.
“We watched that ceremony too and it was just amazing,” Maria Esther continued. “I am so excited to be playing a part in this!”
Olympic Flame to start the Games
On 5 August, the torch will be used to light the Olympic cauldron at the Opening Ceremony.
When it travels by air, the flame is preserved inside special lanterns which sit on a dedicated seat inside the aircraft.
Security guards are with the flame at all times to make sure it travels safely and never goes out.
After leaving the country’s capital, the torch will visit a series of towns in the state of Goiás in Brazil’s rural heartland and then enter the mining state of Minas Gerais.
The 10 first torchbearers included a host of Brazilian sporting stars, such as Fabiana Claudino, double Olympic gold medallist in volleyball, and world surfing champion Gabriel Medina.
Former marathon runner Vanderlei Cordeiro de Lima, bronze medallist in the memorable Athens 2004 race, also carried the torch, as did Artur Ávila Cordeiro de Melo, a recent winner of the Fields Medal, considered to be the Nobel Prize for mathematics.
A 12-year-old refugee from Syria and an inspirational teacher also shared the honours.
On the first day of the relay, the Olympic torch passed by iconic buildings and monuments in Brasília, including the Cathedral, the JK Memorial, the Itamaraty Palace and the Praça dos Três Poderes, home to the country’s government.
It descended from an army helicopter by abseil, crossed a swimming pool and was borne by guards on horseback.
The day ended with a concert by Brazilian music legend Daniela Mercury.
Maria Esther Bueno, Torchbearer
“It was a spectacular start to an incredible event that all of us in Brazil will be following,” Maria Esther concluded.
“I like the uniform and can’t wait to carry the torch myself on 24th July in Sao Paulo! I will be so proud!”
The uniform, which is also worn by support runners and the relay workforce, has been produced by Chinese sportswear company 361°, an official Games partner.
The white represents peace and unity between different cultures, the yellow symbolises the Olympic flame and the green trim adds another of the main colours of the Brazilian flag.
Carrying the Flame
Around 12,000 torchbearers will carry the Olympic torch, which has started its 20,000 kilometre journey by road and 10,000 miles by air during the 95-day relay.
“By taking the Olympic flame to the whole country, we will be keeping our promise to give millions of people the chance to participate in a celebration that will stay in their memories for a long time,” said Rio 2016 President Carlos Arthur Nuzman when details of the Torch Relay were announced in February.
And so it begins…