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
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