ROME, 29 June 2004 — The Olympic torch relay for the Athens Games arrived in Rome yesterday for its day-long journey through the host city of the 1960 Olympics.
The torch was transported aboard a Boeing 747-200 Air Atlanta flight from Barcelona, Spain, in the company of an International Olympics Committee representative. It was then handed over to the Greek ambassador to Italy for a red-carpet ceremony at Rome’s international Leonardo Da Vinci airport.
The flame, making its first appearance in Italy in 44 years, was being relayed by 34 runners across Rome’s city center. Among them, Sydney 2000 sailing gold medalist Alessandra Sensini, AS Roma footballer Daniele De Rossi and Igor Lanzoni, an Italian-born Greek judo champion.
After passing several landmarks, including Rome’s ancient Coliseum, the Olympic torch was to be paraded at Rome’s Piazza di Siena horse-jumping competition.
The Olympic flame was lit March 25 in ancient Olympia for the Aug. 13 opening ceremony of the Athens Games, which run until Aug. 29.
For the first time the 78,000-kilometers relay included an international leg, featuring 33 cities (among the all previous Olympic host cities) June 5-July 4.
