[Transcript]
It's the very first official act of this event that happens every 4 years. Runners cross thousands of kilometres in a relay race to hand over this crucial part of sports history. This is the Olympic Torch!
Most of us know the history of Ancient Greece and the Olympiads, but what about the torch itself? Its history isn't as ancient as you may think!
Welcome to Further Records, the podcast where you can stay One Step Ahead of Your English practice. I'm your host, Forest.
We've all seen illustrations of ancient torches carrying the symbolic flame of the Olympics. It's one of the oldest images we see from the second we learn about the Olympiads.
Surely, this event has been in place from the very first games, right? Well, you're in for a surprise, because I sure was.
The Olympic flame was first used in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin.
Let me say that again. 1936... in Berlin. Ring a bell?
Alright, this episode will NOT be about Nazi Germany, but we need to know about the context, ok?
The Olympic flame was the idea of architect Jan Wils, who constructed the stadium for the 1936 games. Hitler (yes)... he was very fond of Ancient Greek gods and culture, and wished to use them to his own benefit.
Alright, that’s enough World War Two history.
The NICE meaning of the Olympic Torch is that it's a link to Ancient Greece, where the original games were held.
During ancient times, every time the games were held, it was a celebration for the king of the Gods, Zeus. And in his honor, a ceremonial flame was lit. The goddess of the Hearth, Hestia, was the one who kept flames secure. And so, thanks to her, the flame continues to burn throughout the entire Olympic Games. Taking the flame from Olympia to wherever the competitions are being held is also a symbolic heritage of the legacy of the original athletes and ceremonies, which continue to this very day.
Throughout history, not everyone was pleased with the symbol of the flame's original story. Like Barry Larkin, an Australian man, who pranked the Olympic flame relay in 1956. He and his college friends considered the ceremony to be too sacred considering its ties to... well, you know. So they had an idea. They grabbed a wooden chair leg, an aluminium fruit can, and a pair of underwear. Behold, the Olympic underwear torch! They lit it on fire with kerosene, and Barry began his run.
Crossing the streets of Sydney, surrounded by a cheering crowd, he proudly presented the torch to the Mayor of the City, who took it and celebrated with him. Until somebody whispered in his ear "That's not the torch, sir". The prankster was nowhere to be found, and only revealed his identity years later.
Nowadays, the ceremony usually goes without a hitch.
The first runner begins the journey from Olympia, in Greece, where the torch is lit by the rays of the sun. Transportation continues across the several different countries until it reaches its destination. Normally, the torch is carried by marathon runners, but it's travelled on the London Underground, by supersonic aeroplane, and by LASER on different occasions.
When the torch arrives, it lights the Olympic cauldron, and the Games begin!
The designs of the torches are meant to represent the host city of those games, while also paying respect to the ancient history of the Olympics (and pretending that part never existed). However, countries always do their best to appear modern and stylish, which is why they change not only the torch, but also many other celebrations.
This year, 2024, the Paris Olympics decided to change the concept a little bit.
Instead of having a cauldron which actually burns, they have decided to make the first Electrical Flame for the Olympic Games. How does it work? The "smoke" is actually water mist, and the "fire" is actually 40 high-powered LED lights that flicker like fire.
At night, the “cauldron” is elevated by what seems like a helium balloon, which looks like a hot air balloon but does not burn any fuel.
There is a real fire in Paris, however. It's a lantern in the Jardins des Tuileries, with a plaque that says that "The original flame, lit in Olympia from the sun's rays, continues to glow in this lantern".
It just goes to show that no matter how much revolution we make, no matter what the purpose may be for the message, the flame of the original competition continues to glow. Both in the lantern, and in the hearts of the athletes.
You’ve been listening to Further Records, a podcast by Further Corporate.
In this episode, we used certain phrases associated with today’s topic. Have you heard of these before?
- Hearth, as in, Hestia is the goddess of the Hearth: It's the fireplace inside a home where food is cooked or the house is warmed.
- Without a hitch: An idiom which means that something happened without issues or problems
- Cauldron: A large bowl-shaped object, typically used like a pot. In this case, it's a bowl-shaped object which holds the fire inside it.
- To ring a bell: It means that something sounds familiar, something you can recognise
- Heritage: Traditions or objects that continue from generation to generation
- Continue to this very day: Something that has been happening for a long time and continues to happen, as a tradition
- Truth be told: This phrase is used when you want to say a simple truth
To keep boosting your English journey, you listen to more of our episodes on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. We’re also on YouTube, it’s Further Corporate!
If there’s any other topic you’d like to know more about, send us a message on instagram! It’s @furtherlanguges.
See you next time!
Music and SFX:
Fire.wav by Cyril Laurier -- https://freesound.org/s/17717/ -- License: Attribution 4.0
Olympic Anthem from the Public Domain
"The Sky of Our Ancestors" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Cloth, Bedding, brush, sweep-015.wav by MattRuthSound -- https://freesound.org/s/561574/ -- License: Attribution 4.0
"Egmont Overture" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
NYC ambient subway station and train approach.wav by Vortichez -- https://freesound.org/s/335230/ -- License: Attribution 4.0
Day 12 12th July Robinhood76 Enhanced Flyby by kwahmah_02 -- https://freesound.org/s/316658/ -- License: Attribution 3.0
"Ave Marimba" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Music: Savour The Moment by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com
