The Olympic Flame for Vancouver's 21st Winter Olympic Games, which was kindled last week at Olympia, the birthplace of the Olympics, was officially handed over to the Canadian delegation by the Greek Olympic Committee on Thursday evening in Athens. In a moving ceremony held at the Panathenian Stadium, where the first modern Olympics was hosted in 1896, the Sacred flame finished its journey around Greece and began its trip to Canada.

In the presence of President of the Hellenic Republic Karolos Papoulias, the Governor General of Canada Michaelle Jean, Greek minister of Culture Pavlos Geroulanos and other officials, Niki Georgiadou, a Greek figure skating champion who is a student at Toronto, entered the Stadium as the last torchbearer on Greek soil.

Greek rowing Olympic medallist Vasileios Polymeros raises an Olympic torch in front of the Parthenon at the hill of the Acropolis in Athens October 28, 2009. The Olympic flame of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics will be handed over to the Canadian delegation on October 29.

Ending the Greek leg of the 2,180 Torch Relay which on Thursday included a stop at the Acropolis and the New Acropolis Museum, under cheers from the crowd Georgiadou lit the altar.

Then actress Maria Nafpliotou dressed as High Priestess accompanied by other 14 priestesses kindled the torch and gave it to Greek Olympic Committee president Spyros Kapralos.

Before handing it to the CEO Executive Officer of the VANOC John Furlong, wishing best luck mr Kapralos stressed that "the Sacred Light of Olympism always encountered people willing to adopt the eternal messages of love, peace, friendship and solidarity among people".

【体坛英语资讯：Olympic Flame on its way to Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics】相关文章：

★ 体坛英语资讯：Serena brushes Schnyder aside for Bangalore Open title

★ 体坛英语资讯：Mourning career likely over after knee injury

★ 体坛英语资讯：Hosts hopes up in the air at World Cup

★ 娱乐英语资讯：Martin and Paltrow name Pegg as godfather

★ 体坛资讯：Riquelme double inspires Argentina to win over Peru

★ 体坛英语资讯：French drive plus local nous to revive women

★ 娱乐英语资讯：Angelina Jolie voted worlds No.1 yummiest mummies

★ 娱乐英语资讯： 24 City screened for a city reborn

★ 体坛英语资讯：Henry blames personal problems for difficulties at Barcelona

★ 体坛英语资讯：Shaq: I will give Yao fancy new wheels as wedding gift