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 On a glorious spring day with the sun burning hot above the
ancient stadium in Olympia, an actress playing a high priestess lit
the torch from the rays of the sun at the temple of Hera, using a
parabolic mirror.
Greek gymnastics world champion Lefteris Petrounias started the
domestic relay after receiving the flame. Brazilian double Olympic
volleyball champion Giovane Gavio was due to be the second runner.
A refugee will also carry the torch during the Greek leg of the
relay before Brazilian organizers receive it in a handover at the
Panathenian stadium on April 27 in Athens, site of the first modern
Olympics in 1896.
Brazil will start its relay on May 3 in the capital Brasilia with
the first of 12,000 runners, carrying it through 300 cities and
towns in the 26 Brazilian states and ending in Rio on the day of the
opening ceremony.
 Preparations for the first Games in South America, which run from
Aug. 5-21, have been plagued by problems and a shortage of cash for
organizers as the country is experiencing its worst recession in
decades.
"(The torch lighting) brings a message that can and will unite our
dear Brazil," Rio Games chief Carlos Nuzman said in his speech.
Brazil President Dilma Rousseff, who canceled her trip to ancient
Olympia, is facing impeachment and federal prosecutors are
investigating Olympic projects for corruption.
Asked if organizers were concerned about a possible change of
government, Nuzman told Reuters: I'm not a politician and I don't
know. We know what we needed to do, and we'll do (it)." CORRUPTION
SCANDAL
The crisis has paralyzed the country's ability to revive its economy
from recession in the midst of a huge corruption scandal involving
state-run oil firm Petrobras.
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"Despite the difficulties that Brazil is facing today, the flame is
a timeless reminder that we are all part of the same humanity,"
International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach said.
"Rio de Janeiro... will provide a spectacular to showcase the best
of the human spirit. In just a few weeks the Brazilian people will
enthusiastically welcome the world and amaze us with their joy of
life and their passion for sport," Bach said.
Brazil's interim sports minister, Ricardo Goncalves, said
authorities were "very happy, because Brazil is ready" and that the
crises would not impact the Games.
"The Olympic Park, the venues are ready. Everything was done, so no
impact," he said.
Thursday's ceremony marked the 80-year anniversary since the relay,
which did not exist in the ancient Greek Olympics, was introduced by
the Nazi organizers of the 1936 Berlin Games.
"Brazil will start telling the world a different story from the one
we usually see in the news lately," said 2016 Olympics Ceremonies
producer Marco Balich, who traveled from Rio to Olympia to witness
the lighting of the flame.
"The story about the celebration of humanity and the joy of life."
(Editing by Ed Osmond)
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