SYDNEY 2000

SYDNEY 2000

Total distance: 27 000 km (Australia)
Number of torchbearers: 800 (Greece), 1 500 (Oceania), 11 000 (Australia)
Countries crossed: Greece, Guam, Palau, Micronesia, Salomon Islands, Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, New Zealand, Australia
Final torchbearers: Cathy Freeman, Aboriginal athlete, medallist in athletics in 1996 and future Olympic champion (Sydney 2000)

Photo: Sydney 2000 Olympic Torch

10 May 2000: Olympic Priestesses at the lighting of the Olympic Torch for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games at Olympia in Greece, the site of the Original Games 2700 years ago. As part of the longest and farthest torch relay in the history of the Olympic Games the torch will visit 13 Oceanic countries and a replica will be carried into space aboard the US Space Shuttle Atlantis. On arrival in Australia 11000 torchbearers will cover 27000 kilometres culminating in the lighting of the Olympic Flame inside Stadium Australia at the opening of the Games on September 15th. \ Mandatory Credit: Mike Hewitt /Allsport

10 May 2000: High Jumper Lambros Papakostas of Greece with the Olympic Priestesses and Chief Priestess Thalia Prokopiou (arms raised) at the lighting of the Olympic Torch for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games at Olympia in Greece, the site of the Original Games 2700 years ago. As part of the longest and farthest torch relay in the history of the Olympic Games the torch will visit 13 Oceanic countries and a replica will be carried into space aboard the US Space Shuttle Atlantis. On arrival in Australia 11,000 torchbearers will cover 27,000 kilometres culminating in the lighting of the Olympic Flame inside Stadium Australia at the opening of the Games on September 15th. \ Mandatory Credit: Mike Hewitt /Allsport (Credit: Getty Images)

7 Jun 2000: Nova Peris-Kneebone of Australia poses with the Olympic flame in front of Uluru during the torch relay leading up to the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games in Kata Tjuta National Park, Australia. Mandatory Credit: Nick Wilson/ALLSPORT (Credit: Getty Images)

31 Jul 2000: Greg Lappin jumps for joy while carrying the Olympic Torch along St.Kilda Road, Melbourne, Australia. Mandatory Credit: Darren McNamara/ALLSPORT (Credit: Getty Images)

27 Jun 2000: Wendy Craig-Duncan a Marine Biologist on the Great Barrier Reef ,Australia,carries the Olympic torch underwater on day 20 of the 2000 Sydney Olympic Torch Relay at Agincourt Reef,Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia Mandatory Credit: Adam Pretty/ALLSPORT (Credit: Getty Images)

14 Jul 2000: David Cook, of Glenbrook, in the Blue Mountains, carries the Olympic Torch near Rowland Flat in the Barossa Valley. Mandatory Credit: Tony Lewis/ALLSPORT (Credit: Getty Images)

18 Jul 2000: Olympic torchbearer Phyllis Brophy lights the torch of Michaelo Snajdar in the Naracoorte Caves in Naracoorte, Australia. The caves were lit with 1300 candles to light the way. Mandatory Credit: Tony Lewis/ALLSPORT

8 Feb 2002: The Olympic Flame is passed between two torches during the 2002 Salt Lake Olympic Torch Relay in Taylorsville, Utah. DIGITAL IMAGE. Mandatory Credit: Todd Warshaw/Pool/Getty Images

14 Sep 2000: Jessie Niley-Dyer holds the torch aloft during the Torch Relay at Bondi Beach in preparation for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, Sydney Australia. DIGITAL IMAGE. Mandatory Credit: Scott Barbour/ALLSPORT (Credit: Getty Images)

30 Jul 2000: Olympic torch celebrations on the MCG before the match between the Melbourne Demons and the Geelong Cats at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia. Mandatory Credit: Mark Dadswell/ALLSPORT

15 Jul 2000: Therese Garton, Down's syndrome sufferer and Special Olympian, lights the Olympic cauldron in Victoria Square, Adelaide, Australia. With her is her mother, Bev. Mandatory Credit: Tony Lewis/ALLSPORT (Credit: Getty Images)

15 Jul 2000: Therese Garton, Down's syndrome sufferer and Special Olympian, waves after lighting the Olympic cauldron in Victoria Square, Adelaide, Australia. With her is her mother, Bev. Mandatory Credit: Tony Lewis/ALLSPORT (Credit: Getty Images)

29 Jun 2000: Minnie Alderson of the Marrin clan holds the Olympic torch during day 22 of the 2000 Sydney Olympic Torch Relay at Yellow Water in Kakadu National Park,Northern Territories,Australia. Mandatory Credit: Adam Pretty/ALLSPORT (Credit: Getty Images)

31 Jul 2000: A school group await the arrival of the Olympic Torch Relay as the procession passes through the Suburbs in Melbourne, Australia. Mandatory Credit: Robert Cianflone/ALLSPORT (Credit: Getty Images)

3q Jul 2000: A young spectator shows her support for the Olympic Torch Relay as the procession passes through the Suburbs in Melbourne, Australia. Mandatory Credit: Robert Cianflone/ALLSPORT (Credit: Getty Images)

31 Jul 2000: Young spectators await the arrival of the Olympic Torch Relay, as the procession passes through the Suburbs in Melbourne, Australia. Mandatory Credit: Darren McNamara/ALLSPORT (Credit: Getty Images)

14 Sep 2000: Celebrations outside Sydney Town Hall as the Olympic Flame reaches the centre of Sydney before the start of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. \ Mandatory Credit: Tony Feder /Allsport (Credit: Getty Images)

15 Sep 2000: Swimmer Sam Riley of Australia lifts the Olympic Torch on top of the Opera House before the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. Mandatory Credit: Donald Miralle /Allsport (Credit: Getty Images)

15 Sep 2000: Cathy Freeman of Australia prepares to light the Olympic Flame during the Opening Ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Homebush Bay, Sydney, Australia. Mandatory Credit: Al Bello /Allsport (Credit: Getty Images)

15 Sep 2000: Cathy Freeman of Australia prepares to light the Olympic Flame (Credit: Getty Images)

Cathy Freeman of Australia lights the Olympic Flame during the Opening Ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Homebush Bay, Sydney, Australia. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Squire /Allsport (Credit: Getty Images)

15 Sep 2000: The Cauldron containing the Olympic Flame rises above Torch Bearer Cathy Freeman of Australia during the Opening Ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Homebush Bay, Sydney, Australia. Mandatory Credit: Jed Jacobsohn /Allsport (Credit: Getty Images)

Cathy Freeman of Australia lights the OLympic Flame during the Opening Ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Homebush Bay, Sydney, Australia. Mandatory Credit: Ross Kinnaird /Allsport (Credit: Getty Images)

The Olympic Flame burns brightly during the Opening Ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Homebush Bay, Sydney, Australia. Mandatory Credit: Gary M Prior/Allsport (Credit: Getty Images)

15 Sep 2000: Cathy Freeman of Australia lights the Olympic Flame during the Opening Ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Homebush Bay, Sydney, Australia. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Squire /Allsport (Credit: Getty Images)