Olympics come to London

For Emel Magazine - April 2008 - issue 43

"The Olympics are coming to town this month, in the shape of the Olympic Flame as part of the global Torch Relay in the run up to the Beijing Games. In anticipation of the London Olympics in just four years time, Serena Syed Desai talks to some Muslim torchbearers about this historic occasion".

On 6th April 2008, the Beijing Olympic Torch Relay will light up the city of London. The Olumpic flame will be carried through London by 80 hand picked torchbearers, leading to the lighting of a cauldron by the final torchbearer. There will undoubtedly be a buzz as the relay passes through a number of boroughs, encompassing diverse communities who will unite for a unique London celebration. Thus begins the anticipation of excitement as London readies itself to welcome the Olympics to its turf for the third time in 2012, after previously hosting it in 1908 and 1948.

Historically, and mythically, the origins of the Olympic Flame lie in ancient Greece. When Prometheus, the god of forethought and crafty counsel stole fire from Zeus, he secretly gave it to mankind hidden inside a fennel stalk. In commemoration of this, the first torch was ignited to mark the inaugural Olympic Games held in 776 BCE at the sanctuary of Zeus in Olympia, staged in honour of the gods, including Prometheus.

Every four years for over a millennium afterwards, the torch was kept alight during the Games, and rival city-states throughout Greece cast aside their differences....