The Olympic flame today began the final leg of its journey to Paris to light the cauldron at the opening ceremony on July 26. From Greece she left for France aboard the Belem, a ship named after the Brazilian city that was one of her destination ports on her commercial voyages.
Launched on June 10, 1896 as a merchant ship, its first voyage was between Montevideo (Uruguay) and Belem (or Bethlehem), capital of the Brazilian state of Pará and with an important commercial past. This maiden voyage was almost two months after the 1896 Athens Olympic Games, the first of the current era.
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In 1902 this three-masted ship narrowly escaped destruction by the eruption of the Mount Pelée volcano on the island of Martinique. In 1914 she stopped being used for commerce and since then she had several destinations, as a luxury cruise ship and entertainment ship, until being a French historical monument since 1984.
The Belem is expected to arrive with the Olympic flame in Marseille on May 8. That fire was lit on April 16 at the archaeological site of the Greek city of Olympia, the birthplace of the ancient Olympic Games.
La Flamme Olympique s’allume aujourd’hui à Olympie et le 8 mai, elle entrera en piste en France, à Marseille.
Célébrons ensemble le début des Jeux de #Paris2024
Rendez-vous sur le Vieux-Port pour une grande fête ouverte à tous !
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The Olympic Flame is lit today in Olympia, and… pic.twitter.com/eDwln1IQVW— Paris 2024 (@Paris2024) April 16, 2024
Marseille has a special bond with Greece. According to historiographic chronicles, it was founded around 600 BC by Greek colonists from Phocaea and over time it became a reference port in Western Europe and many centuries later it maintains its title as the most important commercial port in the French Mediterranean.
The flame will pass through 400 cities during its final journey of 12,000 kilometers through France and on July 26 it will focus attention on the opening of the Paris Olympic Games, which will be held on the Seine River and not in the main stadium of the sporting event.
Remembering Zagallo
Sambafoot Series launched a new documentary about the football legend Zagallo. Known as ‘Velho Lobo‘ and as superstitious as it gets, Zagallo helped shape what Brazilian football is nowadays — as a player and as a coach.
The first three episodes are available on Sambafoot’s Youtube channel. Stay tuned for the upcoming releases as we keep telling this legend’s life story.
