When did the tradition of passing the torch in international competitions begin?

In Athens, people held races to pay tribute to the gods including Prometheus. These competitions are to commemorate Prometheus' feat of stealing kindling. When he passed on the fire, he also spread his wisdom and knowledge to mankind. Runners passed torches to each other, and only the first runner who reached the altar was awarded the honor of reigniting the altar flame.

In all the Greek Games, no torch relay or race has ever been organized. Some time before the sports meeting, messengers wearing olive crowns announced the exact dates of competitions in other cities. The emissary invited the citizens of these cities to come to Olympia and read the "Holy Truce Agreement". The modern Olympic Games began at the Amsterdam Olympic Games in 1928, and has since become an important part of previous Olympic Games, attracting much attention.

The first Olympic torch relay The first Olympic torch relay appeared at the Berlin Olympic Games in 1936. A grand torch lighting ceremony was held in Olympia. 12 The girls dressed in Greek national costumes lit the first torch with the accompaniment of music. Coubertin, honorary president for life of the International Olympic Committee, visited the venue and delivered a speech. Then the torch relay officially started, with each person holding the torch relay 1 km.

The torch relay passed through Greece, Bulgaria, the former Yugoslavia, Hungary, Austria and the former Czechoslovakia and arrived in Berlin in the early morning of August 1. From Olympia to Berlin, the whole journey is 3075 kilometers, and 3075 people participated in the relay. Since then, lighting the Olympic torch has become one of the essential ceremonies at the opening ceremony of each Olympic Games.

The origin of the torch When the ancient Greeks held the first ancient Olympic Games, they used the ceremony of lighting the torch. Before the meeting, Greek warriors carried torches and ran to various tribes to tell the news that the war would stop, and selected outstanding warriors from various tribes to participate in the Olympic Games. 1928, the international Olympic Committee stipulated that the torch symbolizing light, unity and friendship should be lit in the main venue of each Olympic Games in the future. The torch was lit in Olympia, Greece, and then passed to the main venue of the Olympic Games in the form of a relay run.