XXIVTH Olympiad-1988-SEOUL, KOREA

XXIVTH Olympiad-1988-SEOUL, KOREA

Total distance: 15,250 km
Distance covered on foot: 4,714 km
Countries crossed: Greece, Korea
Number of torchbearers 20,899 (including escorts)
Final torchbearers: three students who represented respectively sport, the sciences and the arts

The lighting of the Olympic flame in Olympia on August 23 began the Olympic Torch Relay for the 1988 Seoul Games. The relay lasted 26 days, and during the ceremony in Athens, a Korean instrumental group performed traditional Korean folk music.

The flame traveled by aeroplane from Greece to Cheju, on the southern tip of Korea. The Olympic Torch Relay then traveled by boat to Pusan, and then proceeded through all of Korea's provinces and historical areas.

Means of transporting the flame included runners, horses, boats, bicycles, aeroplanes and motorcycles. The relay was 15250 kilometres long and approximately 1900 runners took part.

The 1988 Seoul Summer Olympic Games Torch. The torch is in the IOC, Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland. \ Mandatory Credit: IOC, Olympic Museum /Allsport (Credit: Getty Images)

Sep 1988: A general view of the Olympic Flame during the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. \ Mandatory Credit: Billy Stickland /Allsport (Credit: Getty Images)

13 Sep 1988: The Olympic torch on route to the stadium with a motorcycle escort at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea. \ Mandatory Credit: Allsport UK /Allsport (Credit: Getty Images)

13 September 1988: An athlete from Korea carries the Olympic Torch on its long journey as he makes his way towards the Olympics Stadium in Seoul for the opening ceremony of the 1988 Summer Olympics. (Credit: Getty Images)

13 September 1988: One of the Olympic Torch bearers makes his way to the Olympic Stadium in Seoul in preperation for the opening ceremony of the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul South Korea. (Credit: Getty Images)

16 September 1988: Athletes raise their torches after lighting the Olympic Flame during the opening ceremony of the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. (Credit: Getty Images)

17 September 1988: The Olympic Flame is lit by Torch Bearers during the opening ceremony of the 1988 Summer Olympics held in Seoul in South Korea. (Credit: Getty Images)

17 Sep 1988: Korean Girls in traditional dress await the passing of the Olympic Flame on its journey to the Opening Ceremony of the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea. \ Mandatory Credit: Gray Mortimore/Allsport (Credit: Getty Images)

17 Sep 1988: Delegates acknowledge the arrival of the Olympic Flame in the Olympic Stadium during the Opening Ceremony of the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea. \ Mandatory Credit: Pascal Rondeau/Allsport (Credit: Getty Images)

2 Oct 1988: General view of the Olympic Stadium with the Olympic Flame during the closing ceremony of the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea. \ Mandatory Credit: David Cannon/Allsport (Credit: Getty Images)

17 September 1988: Torch bearers turn to salute the crowd after lighting the Olympic Flame during the opening ceremony of the 1988 Seoul Olympics. (Credit: Getty Images)

17 September 1988: The Olympic Torch is carried into the Olympic stadium by a Korean athlete during the opening ceremony of the 1988 Summer Olympic Games held in Seoul. (Credit: Getty Images)

September 1988: Hodori, the Olympic Mascot holds the Olympic Torch above his head whilst standing on the top of a mountain of flowers during the 1988 Seoul Olympics. (Credit: Getty Images)

Sep 1988: General view of the Olympic Flame during the Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea. Mandatory Credit: David Cannon /Allsport (Credit: Getty Images)