Gender and the relay
Women underrepresented in most ceremonial torchbearer roles
Home Relays by the numbers A relay's legacy Get the data Records Submit feedback About the project

Alan Hovorka | Story and design
Tyson Bird | Code and design

Alan Hovorka | Story and design
Tyson Bird | Code and design

No woman has ever carried the Olympic flame down from Olympia as the first torchbearer in a torch relay. However, out of the more than 50 final torchbearers that have lit the cauldron during an opening ceremony in 80 years, 14 were women. Norma Enriqueta Basiio became the first woman to light an Olympic cauldron in 1968 during the Mexico City Games.

The lack of female first torchbearers stems from the fact the IOC and the Hellenic Olympic Committee, the organzing group responsible for torch relay ceremonies, are private organizations and they are looking to preserve the ancient traditions of the Games, Olympic historian Philip Barker said. The first torchbearer is meant to symbolize Ancient Greece. However, he Hellenic Olympic Committee recently changed the lighting ceremony to allow men and boys to participate in the choreography.

"To which my argument is, ‘Well, they had slaves in ancient times and that wasn’t right either,’" Barker said. "I personally would love to see a woman be the first runner, but I don’t think that’s going to happen any time soon because of that idea of linking with the ancient games."

Each outline of a runner represents a single torchbearer and relay, except in 2002 where an indeterminate number of members from the 1980 ‘Miracle on Ice’ hockey team lit the cauldron. A few relays featured multiple final torchbearers.


First torchbearer

First torchbearer

Last torchbearer

Last torchbearer

Berlin - 1936

Berlin - 1936

Male

Konstantinos

Kondylis (Greece)

Male

Konstantinos

Kondylis (Greece)

Male

Fritz Schilgen

(Germany)

Male

Fritz Schilgen

(Germany)

London - 1948

London - 1948

Male

Konstantinos

Dimitrelis (Greece)

Male

Konstantinos

Dimitrelis (Greece)

Male

John Marks

(England)

Male

John Marks

(England)

Oslo - 1952

Oslo - 1952

Male

A member of the

Hemmestveit skiing

family (Norway)

Male

A member of the

Hemmestveit skiing

family (Norway)

Male

Eigil Nansen

(Norway)

Male

Eigil Nansen

(Norway)

Helsinki - 1952

Helsinki - 1952

Male

Christos

Panagopoulos

(Greece)

Male

Christos

Panagopoulos

(Greece)

Male

Hannes

Kolehmainen (Finland)

Male

Hannes

Kolehmainen (Finland)

Cortina d'Ampezzo - 1956

Cortina d'Ampezzo - 1956

Male

Adolfo Consolini

(Italy)

Male

Adolfo Consolini

(Italy)

Male

Guido Caroli

(Italy)

Male

Guido Caroli

(Italy)

Stockholm - 1956

Stockholm - 1956

Male

Takis Constantinidis

(Greece)

Male

Takis Constantinidis

(Greece)

Male

Hans Wikne

(Sweden)

Male

Hans Wikne

(Sweden)

Melbourne - 1956

Melbourne - 1956

Male

Dionyssios

Papathanassopoulos

(Greece)

Male

Dionyssios

Papathanassopoulos

(Greece)

Male

Ronald William

“Ron” Clarke (Australia)

Male

Ronald William

“Ron” Clarke (Australia)

Rome - 1960

Rome - 1960

Male

Panayotis “Takis”

Epitropoulos (Greece)

Male

Panayotis “Takis”

Epitropoulos (Greece)

Male

Giancarlo Peris

(Italy)

Male

Giancarlo Peris

(Italy)

Squaw Valley - 1960

Squaw Valley - 1960

Male

Olav Nordskog

(Norway)

Male

Olav Nordskog

(Norway)

Male

Kenneth Charles Henry

(U.S.A.)

Male

Kenneth Charles Henry

(U.S.A.)

Innsbruck- 1964

Innsbruck- 1964

Male

Dionyssis Kessaris

(Greece)

Male

Dionyssis Kessaris

(Greece)

Male

Josl Rieder

(Austria)

Male

Josl Rieder

(Austria)

Tokyo - 1964

Tokyo - 1964

Male

George Marsellos

(Greece)

Male

George Marsellos

(Greece)

Male

Yoshinori Sakai

(Japan)

Male

Yoshinori Sakai

(Japan)

Mexico City - 1968

Mexico City - 1968

Male

Haris Aivaliotis

(Greece)

Male

Haris Aivaliotis

(Greece)

Female

Enriqueta Basilio Sotelo

(Mexico)

Female

Enriqueta Basilio Sotelo

(Mexico)

Grenoble - 1968

Grenoble - 1968

Male

Tassos Bahouros

(Greece)

Male

Tassos Bahouros

(Greece)

Male

Alain Calmat

(France)

Male

Alain Calmat

(France)

Munich - 1972

Munich - 1972

Male

Yiannis

Kirkilessis (Greece)

Male

Yiannis

Kirkilessis (Greece)

Male

Günther Zahn

(West Germany)

Male

Günther Zahn

(West Germany)

Sapporo - 1972

Sapporo - 1972

Male

Yiannis

Kirkilessis (Greece)

Male

Yiannis

Kirkilessis (Greece)

Male

Hideki Takada

(Japan)

Male

Hideki Takada

(Japan)

Montreal - 1976

Montreal - 1976

Male

Tassos

Psyllidis (Greece)

Male

Tassos

Psyllidis (Greece)

Multiple

Sandra Henderson

and Stéphane

Préfontaine (Canada)

Multiple

Sandra Henderson

and Stéphane

Préfontaine (Canada)

Innsbruck- 1976

Innsbruck- 1976

Male

Spyros Tzavaras

(Greece)

Male

Spyros Tzavaras

(Greece)

Multiple

Christl Haas and

Josef Feistmantl

(Austria)

Multiple

Christl Haas and

Josef Feistmantl

(Austria)

Lake Placid - 1980

Lake Placid - 1980

Male

Giorgos Gikas (Greece)

Male

Giorgos Gikas (Greece)

Male

Charles Morgan Kerr

(U.S.A.)

Male

Charles Morgan Kerr

(U.S.A.)

Moscow - 1980

Moscow - 1980

Male

Thanassis

Kosmopoulos (Greece)

Male

Thanassis

Kosmopoulos (Greece)

Male

Sergei Belov (USSR)

Male

Sergei Belov (USSR)

Sarajevo - 1984

Sarajevo - 1984

Male

Haralambos

Karalis (Greece)

Male

Haralambos

Karalis (Greece)

Female

Sanda Dubravčić

(Yugoslavia)

Female

Sanda Dubravčić

(Yugoslavia)

Los Angeles - 1984

Los Angeles - 1984

Multiple

Gina Hemphill

and Bill Thorpe Jr.

(United States)

Multiple

Gina Hemphill

and Bill Thorpe Jr.

(United States)

Male

Rafer Johnson

(U.S.A.)

Male

Rafer Johnson

(U.S.A.)

Seoul- 1988

Seoul- 1988

Male

Athanassios

“Thanassis”

Kalogiannis (Greece)

Male

Athanassios

“Thanassis”

Kalogiannis (Greece)

Male

Won-Tak Kim

(South Korean)

Male

Won-Tak Kim

(South Korean)

Calgary - 1988

Calgary - 1988

Male

Stelios Bisbas

(Greece)

Male

Stelios Bisbas

(Greece)

Female

Robyn Perry

(Canada)

Female

Robyn Perry

(Canada)

Barcelona - 1992

Male

Savvas

Saritzoglo (Greece)

Male

Antonio Rebollo

(Spain)

Albertville- 1992

Male

Athanassios

“Thanassis”

Kalogiannis (Greece)

Male

Michel Platini

Lillehammer - 1988

None

Male

Haakon Magnus

Atlanta - 1996

Male

Konstantinos

“Kostas”

Koukodimos (Greece)

Male

Muhammad Ali (U.S.A.)

Nagano - 1998

Male

Vassilis Dimitriadis

(Greece)

Female

Midori Ito

Sydney - 2000

Male

Lambros Papakostas

(Greece)

Female

Cathy Freeman

Salt Lake - 2002

Male

Lefteris Fafalis

(Greece)

Male

Members from the

U.S. ice hockey from the

1980 Lake Placid Games

Athens - 2004

Male

Kostas Gatsioudis

(Greece)

Male

Nikolaos

Kaklamanakis

(Greece)

Turin - 2006

Male

Konstadinos

“Kostas” Filippidis (Greece)

Female

Stefania Belmondo

(Italy)

Beijing - 2008

Male

Alexandros

Nikolaidis (Greece)

Male

Ning Li

(Chinese)

Vancouver - 2010

Male

Vassilis

Dimitriadis (Greece)

Multiple

Catriona Le May Doan,

Nancy Greene Raine,

Wayne Gretzky,

Steve Nash (Canada)

London - 2012

Male

Spyridon

“Spyros”

Gianniotis (Greece)

Multiple

Callum Airlie,

Jordan Duckitt,

Desiree Henry,

Katie Kirk,

Cameron MacRitchie,

Aidan Reynolds,

Adelle Tracey

Sochi - 2014

Male

Ioannis Antoniou

(Greece)

Multiple

Irina Rodnina,

Vladislav Tretiak

Rio - 2016

Male

Eleftherios “Lefteris”

Petrounias (Greece)

Male

Vanderlei Cordeiro

de Lima (Brazil)

First torchbearer

Last torchbearer

Berlin - 1936

Male

Konstantinos

Kondylis (Greece)

Male

Fritz Schilgen

(Germany)

London - 1948

Male

Konstantinos

Dimitrelis (Greece)

Male

John Marks

(England)

Oslo - 1952

Male

A member of the

Hemmestveit skiing

family (Norway)

Male

Eigil Nansen

(Norway)

Helsinki - 1952

Male

Christos

Panagopoulos

(Greece)

Male

Hannes

Kolehmainen (Finland)

Cortina d'Ampezzo - 1956

Male

Adolfo Consolini

(Italy)

Male

Guido Caroli

(Italy)

Stockholm - 1956

Male

Takis Constantinidis

(Greece)

Male

Hans Wikne

(Sweden)

Melbourne - 1956

Male

Dionyssios

Papathanassopoulos

(Greece)

Male

Ronald William

“Ron” Clarke (Australia)

Rome - 1960

Male

Panayotis “Takis”

Epitropoulos (Greece)

Male

Giancarlo Peris

(Italy)

Squaw Valley - 1960

Male

Olav Nordskog

(Norway)

Male

Kenneth Charles Henry

(U.S.A.)

Innsbruck- 1964

Male

Dionyssis Kessaris

(Greece)

Male

Josl Rieder

(Austria)

Tokyo - 1964

Male

George Marsellos

(Greece)

Male

Yoshinori Sakai

(Japan)

Mexico City - 1968

Male

Haris Aivaliotis

(Greece)

Female

Enriqueta Basilio Sotelo

(Mexico)

Grenoble - 1968

Male

Tassos Bahouros

(Greece)

Male

Alain Calmat

(France)

Munich - 1972

Male

Yiannis

Kirkilessis (Greece)

Male

Günther Zahn

(West Germany)

Sapporo - 1972

Male

Yiannis

Kirkilessis (Greece)

Male

Hideki Takada

(Japan)

Montreal - 1976

Male

Tassos

Psyllidis (Greece)

Multiple

Sandra Henderson

and Stéphane

Préfontaine (Canada)

Innsbruck- 1976

Male

Spyros Tzavaras

(Greece)

Multiple

Christl Haas and

Josef Feistmantl

(Austria)

Lake Placid - 1980

Male

Giorgos Gikas (Greece)

Male

Charles Morgan Kerr

(U.S.A.)

Moscow - 1980

Male

Thanassis

Kosmopoulos (Greece)

Male

Sergei Belov (USSR)

Sarajevo - 1984

Male

Haralambos

Karalis (Greece)

Female

Sanda Dubravčić

(Yugoslavia)

Los Angeles - 1984

Multiple

Gina Hemphill

and Bill Thorpe Jr.

(United States)

Male

Rafer Johnson

(U.S.A.)

Seoul - 1988

Male

Athanassios

“Thanassis”

Kalogiannis (Greece)

Male

Won-Tak Kim

(South Korean)

Calgary - 1988

Male

Stelios Bisbas

(Greece)

Female

Robyn Perry

(Canada)

Barcelona - 1992

Male

Savvas Saritzoglo

(Greece)

Male

Antonio Rebollo

(Spain)

Albertville - 1992

Male

Athanassios

“Thanassis”

Kalogiannis (Greece)

Male

Michel Platini

(France)

Lillehammer - 1988

Data

unavailable

Male

Haakon Magnus

(Norway)

Atlanta - 1996

Male

Konstantinos

“Kostas”

Koukodimos (Greece)

Male

Muhammad Ali

(U.S.A.)

Nagano - 1998

Male

Vassilis Dimitriadis

(Greece)

Female

Midori Ito

(Japan)

Sydney - 2000

Male

Lambros Papakostas

(Greece)

Female

Cathy Freeman

(Australia)

Salt Lake - 2002

Male

Lefteris Fafalis

(Greece)

Male

Members from the

U.S. ice hockey from the

1980 Lake Placid Games

Athens - 2004

Male

Kostas Gatsioudis

(Greece)

Male

Nikolaos

Kaklamanakis

(Greece)

Turin - 2006

Male

Konstadinos

“Kostas” Filippidis (Greece)

Female

Stefania Belmondo

(Italy)

Beijing - 2008

Male

Alexandros

Nikolaidis (Greece)

Male

Ning Li

(Chinese)

Vancouver - 2010

Male

Vassilis

Dimitriadis (Greece)

Multiple

Catriona Le May Doan, Nancy Greene Raine, Wayne Gretzky,

Steve Nash (Canada)

London - 2012

Male

Spyridon

“Spyros”

Gianniotis (Greece)

Multiple

Callum Airlie, Jordan Duckitt, Desiree Henry, Katie Kirk,

Cameron MacRitchie, Aidan Reynolds, Adelle Tracey

(U.K.)

Sochi - 2014

Male

Ioannis Antoniou

(Greece)

Multiple

Irina Rodnina,

Vladislav Tretiak

(Russia)

Rio - 2016

Male

Eleftherios “Lefteris”

Petrounias (Greece)

Male

Vanderlei Cordeiro

de Lima (Brazil)


Story and data by Alan Hovorka
Design by Alan Hovorka and Tyson Bird
Submit feedback
About the project
View the project on Github

All images used in this project were published in the public domain or under Creative Commons.
The work on this website is for noncommercial, educational purposes and is not associated with the International Olympic Committee or any Olympic properties.