XXVIII Olympiad -- ATHENS 2004

XXVIII Olympiad -- ATHENS 2004

Total distance: 78,000 km
Countries crossed: 27
Number of torchbearers: 12,102
Total days: 78
Lighting the Olympic Flame by: The torchbearers were: Nikos Galis (basketball), Dimitrios Domazos (football), Paraskevi Patoulidou (athletics), Akakios Kachiasvilis (weightlifting), Ioannis Melissanidis (artistic gymnastics), Nikolaos Kaklamanakis (sailing)

Photo: Athens 2004 Olympic Torch

OLYMPIA, GREECE - MARCH 25: Thalia Prokopiou, the actress playing the High Priestess, poses during the Ceremony of the Lighting of the Olympic Flame for the Athens 2004 Olympic Games at the Ancient Olympia site on March 25, 2004 in Olympia, Greece.

ATHENS - MARCH 31: The 2004 Olympic Torch Relay arrives at the Panathinaiko Stadium March 31, 2004, in Athens. This is the end of the first part of the domestic route in Greece before the Torch starts the International Route on June 4, 2004.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 4: Cathy Freeman holds the Olympic Torch on the steps of the Sydney Opera House during the start of the Athens 2004 Olympic Torch Relay June 4, 2004 in Sydney, Australia. The Olympic Flame will travel to 34 cities in 27 countries en route to the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 5: The "Oarsome Foursome" rowing team of Melbourne carry the Olympic Flame during Day 3 of the ATHENS 2004 Olympic Torch Relay on June 5, 2004 in Melbourne, Australia. The Olympic Flame travels to 34 cities in 27 countries en route to the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

TOKYO - JUNE 6: Toshihiko Koga holds the Olympic torch in front Asakusa's Kaminarimon gate, on June 6, 2004 in Tokyo, Japan. The 53-kilometer relay through the Japanese capital begins at the Daiba waterfront area near Tokyo Bay.

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - JUNE 7: South Koreans Olympic torchbearer Lee Byung-Ki (R) passes the torch to torchbearer Kim Ye-Jin during day five of the Athens 2004 Olympic Torch Relay at Seoul Olympic park on June 7, 2004 in Seoul, South Korea. The Olympic flame travels through 34 cities in 27 countries en route to the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

BEIJING - JUNE 9: Torchbearer Ling Yang (L) passes the Olympic Flame to Ye Ruan in front of the Great Hall of The People during Day 6 of the Athens 2004 Olympic Torch Relay on June 9, 2004 in Beijing. The Olympic Flame travels to 34 cities in 27 countries en route to the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

DELHI - JUNE 10: Torchbearer Randhir Singh carries the Olympic Flame outside the Lahore Gate of the Red Fort during Day 7 of the ATHENS 2004 Olympic Torch Relay on June 10, 2004 in Delhi, India. The Olympic Flame travels to 34 cities in 27 countries en route to the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

CAIRO, EGYPT - JUNE 11: Torchbearer Abdul Aziz Bouderbala carries the Olympic Flame past the Pyramids overlooking Cairo during Day 8 of the ATHENS 2004 Olympic Torch Relay on June 11, 2004 in Cairo, Egypt. The Olympic Flame travels to 34 cities in 27 countries en route to the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA - JUNE 12: Nelson Mandela holds the Olympic Flame while surrounded by members of the Athens Olympic Organizing Committee during Day 9 of the ATHENS 2004 Olympic Torch Relay June 12, 2004 in Cape Town, South Africa. The Olympic Flame travels to 34 cities in 27 countries en route to the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - JUNE 14: Joaquin Cruz, Brazilian Olympic track competitor, carries the Olympic Flame atop Corcovado Mountain in front of the Christ the Redemer statue during the ATHENS 2004 Olympic Torch Relay on June 14, 2004 in Rio De Janiero, Brazil. The Olympic Flame travels to 34 cities in 27 countries en route to the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

MEXICO CITY - JUNE 15: Torchbearer Alfonso Sanchez carries the Olympic Flame during Day 11 of the ATHENS 2004 Olympic Torch Relay on June 15, 2004 in Mexico City, Mexico. The Olympic Flame travels to 34 cities in 27 countries en route to the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

LOS ANGELES - JUNE 16: Torchbearer and tv host Ryan Seacrest carries the Olympic Flame during Day 12 of the ATHENS 2004 Olympic Torch Relay on June 16, 2004 in Los Angeles, California. The Olympic Flame travels to 34 cities in 27 countries en route to the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

NEW YORK - JUNE 19: Peter Westbrook pauses in front of the World Trade Center site with the Olympic torch before commencing his run in lower Manhattan June 19, 2004 in New York City. The Olympic flame travels to 34 cities in 27 countries en route to the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

MONTREAL - JUNE 20: The Olympic Flame burns during Day 16 of the ATHENS 2004 Olympic Torch Relay on June 20, 2004 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Olympic Flame travels to 34 cities in 27 countries en route to the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM - JUNE 22: Torchbearer Roger Vanmeerbeek carries the Olympic Flame during Day 18 of the ATHENS 2004 Olympic Torch Relay on June 22, 2004 in Brussels, Belgium. The Olympic Flame travels to 34 cities in 27 countries en route to the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

LAUSANNE - JUNE 24: Torchbearer Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee, carries the Olympic Flame during Day 20 of the ATHENS 2004 Olympic Torch Relay on June 24, 2004 in Lausanne, Switzerland. The Olympic Flame travels to 34 cities in 27 countries en route to the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

PARIS - JUNE 25: Torchbearers Lotus Amar (R) and Mostafa Zayd Khader hold the Olympic Flame together during Day 21 of the Athens 2004 Olympic Torch Relay on June 25, 2004 in Paris, France. The Olympic Flame travels to 34 cities in 27 countries en route to the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

LONDON - JUNE 26: Sir Roger Bannister holds the Olympic Torch as it is lit on center court during the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championship on June 26, 2004 at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London.

BARCELONA - JUNE 27: Torchbearer Juan Antonio San Epifanio carries the Olympic Flame into the Placa del Marques de Foronda during Day 23 of the ATHENS 2004 Olympic Torch Relay on June 27, 2004 in Barcelona, Spain. The Olympic Flame travels to 34 cities in 27 countries en route to the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

ROME - JUNE 28: Torchbearer Riccardo Artizzu carries the Olympic Flame around the Piazza del Popolo during Day 24 of the ATHENS 2004 Olympic Torch Relay on June 28, 2004 in Rome, Italy. The Olympic Flame travels to 34 cities in 27 countries en route to the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

MUNICH, GERMANY - JUNE 29: Torchbearer Rosi Mittermaier-Neureuther lights a cauldron with the Olympic Flame at the Marienplatz during Day 25 of the ATHENS 2004 Olympic Torch Relay June 29, 2004 in Munich, Germany. The Olympic Flame travels to 34 cities in 27 countries en route to the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

STOCKHOLM - JULY 1: Torchbearer Jan-Olov Berglund carries the Olympic flame during Day 27 of the Athens 2004 Olympic Torch Relay on July 1, 2004 in Stockholm, Sweden. The Olympic flame travels to 34 cities in 27 countries en route to the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

HELSINKI, FINLAND - JULY 2: Anne Kettunen holds the Olympic flame in front of the Paavo Nurmen statue during Day 28 of the Athens 2004 Olympic Torch Relay on July 2, 2004 in Helsinki, Finland. The Olympic flame travels to 34 cities in 27 countries en route to the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

MOSCOW - JULY 3: Torchbearer Valery Shantsev carries the Olympic Flame through Red Square during Day 29 of the ATHENS 2004 Olympic Torch Relay on July 3, 2004 in Moscow, Russia. The Olympic Flame travels to 34 cities in 27 countries en route to the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

KIEV - JULY 5: Torchbearer Olexander Bohutskyi (R) passes the Olympic Flame to Igor Nagaev (L) during Day 30 of the ATHENS 2004 Olympic Torch Relay July 5, 2004 in Kiev, Ukraine. The Olympic Flame travels to 34 cities in 27 countries en route to the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

ISTANBUL - JULY 6: Bedii Ulusoy carries the OLympic Flame through the historic Aqueduct during Day 31 of the ATHENS 2004 Olympic Torch Relay on July 6, 2004 in Istanbul, Turkey. The Olympic Flame travels to 34 cities in 27 countries en route to the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

SOFIA, BULGARIA - JULY 7: Valentin Dimitrov delivers the Olympic Flame to the evening celebration at Alexander Nevsky Square during Day 32 of the ATHENS 2004 Olympic Torch Relay on July 7, 2004 in Sofia, Bulgaria. The Olympic Flame travels to 34 cities in 27 countries en route to the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

NICOSIA, CYPRUS - JULY 8: Marios Hadjiandreou carries the Olympic Flame at the Kourio ruins during Day 33 of the ATHENS 2004 Olympic Torch Relay on July 8, 2004 in Nicosia, Cyprus. The Olympic Flame travels to 34 cities in 27 countries en route to the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

ATHENS - SEPTEMBER 17: Paralympians pass the torch on its final relay before the lighting of the Olympic Flame during the opening ceremony for the Athens 2004 Paralympic Games on September 17, 2004 at the Sports Complex Olympic Stadium in Athens, Greece.