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Summary Greek swimmer is the first in a line of 490 torchbearers to carry the flame across 2,900 kilometers.
The flame that will burn during the London Games has been lit at the birthplace of the Ancient Olympics.An actress, dressed as a high priestess used a concave mirror to focus the suns rays and light a torch. Under the bright sunny skies Thursday, there was no need for the backup flame that was used during the final rehearsal for the Olympic torch lightening a day earlier.After the end of a choreographed ceremony, the priestess will hand over the torch to the first torchbearer, Greek swimmer and Olympic silver medalist Spyros Gianniotis. He is the first in a line of 490 torchbearers to carry the flame across 2,900 kilometers (1,800 miles) on Greek soil before the flame will handed over to the London Games organizers on May 17.The Olympics will be held from July 27-Aug.12.
