2012 London Olympics Torch Design Revealed

Posted June 8th, 2011 at 3:10 pm (UTC-5)
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The 2012 London Olympics organizers have unveiled the design of their Olympic torch, which Reuters describes as looking like a huge cheesegrater.

The gold-colored aluminium frame features a lace-like mesh with 8,000 holes which are supposed to represent each person who will carry it on the 70-day torch relay.

The triangular shape symbolizes the three times that London has staged the Games in 1908, 1948 and 2012, as well as the faster, higher stronger motto of the Olympic movement, and the sport, education and culture triple vision of the 2012 Summer Games.

The torch stands 80 centimeters tall and weighs 800 grams.

It was designed by two men from London and was revealed Wednesday by a trio of British Olympians, including organizing committee chairman Sebastian Coe.

After the flame is ignited by sunlight at Ancient Olympia, the torch relay will begin next May at Land's End, the most south westerly point of Britain. The torch relay will travel to the islands of the Outer Hebrides north of Scotland before finishing with the symbolic lighting of the cauldron in a yet-to-be-revealed location in London's Olympic Park on July 27, 2012.

Organizers want half the 8,000 torch relay runners to be aged between 12 and 24 and the other half to be people who have inspired others or made a contribution to their local communities. The public can nominate people for the role.