Hundreds of people have carried it this year, most while jogging. But some have surfed, cycled, rappelled, swam and even paraskied with the Olympic flame — now one month into its 95-day journey in Brazil, leading up to the 2016 Rio Games.
Six years ago the flame was here in Richmond. It arrived Feb. 9, 2010, days before the Winter Olympic Games, travelling on Lulu Island’s flat terrain with the aid of 70 torchbearers. Like Rio, most jogged. But Richmond’s final torchbearer carried the flame by wheelchair.
During a two-hour torch relay community celebration in Minoru Park, Rick Hansen, known as the Man in Motion for his worldwide fundraising tour for spinal cord research, made a grand entrance. With the Olympic torch fixed to his chair, Hansen wheeled past RCMP officers wearing traditional Red Serge uniforms. He paused to wave, to give high-fives, before making his way onstage to light the cauldron.
“It was an incredible feeling of pride and honour to be selected as a final torchbearer and to carry the flame through my hometown,” Rick Hansen told the Richmond News in an e-mail. “Seeing our community, the City of Richmond and all Canadians, come together with a sense of inclusivity and shared values was an incredibly special experience and not one I will ever forget.”
The flame travelled 21 kilometres through Richmond, joined in the journey by a convoy of support and security vehicles. The Richmond leg began at No. 5 Road and Steveston Highway. It travelled past community centres, each hosting small neighbourhood celebrations, before arriving at Aberdeen Station. The flame then travelled by Canada Line to Richmond-Brighouse Station, close to where Hansen would receive it.
“To me, the Olympic and Paralympic torch is symbolic of the values of the Games,” said Hansen, a Paralympian and advocate for people with disabilities.
“Sport can be a unifying factor — it represents respect, courage, success, failure, struggle, perseverance, resilience, excellence and making a difference.”
Three days later, on Feb. 12, the flame entered B.C. Place during the Opening Ceremony of the 2010 Games.
Other locals who served as torchbearers in Richmond included the late Mary Gazetas, Olive Bassett, Jim Kojima, Bob Mukai, Shirley Olafsson, Jacqueline Roy, Al Sakai, Walter Wu, Novell Thomas, Jimmy van Ostrand and Bill Jaffe.
Jaffe carried the flame just a few blocks from his house. What he remembers most is the anticipation—the “absolute thrill” of waiting on the road for the flame to arrive.
“It was so surreal and wonderful at the same time. Truly a unique and fantastic experience and I knew I stood there on behalf of so many people — my family, my friends, my co-workers, my Rotary Club, the Richmond Hospital Foundation and the community.”
Before his run, Jaffe and fellow torchbearers listened to an hour of instructions so they’d know exactly what to do — and what to expect — when it was their turn to carry a flame first lit in Olympia, Greece, birthplace of the ancient Olympics.
“There is a lot to absorb but most of it is common sense,” said Jaffe. “I got the hand-off perfectly and I ran at a slow pace, and that was all fine and good. When I lit the next runner’s torch I knew my time was done. But the next runner just stood there and stared at me. I had to remind her to start running her route.”
An estimated crowd of 30,000 gathered at Minoru Park — known as the O Zone celebration site during the Olympics — to watch Hansen light the cauldron. Then came the fireworks and the singing of O Canada. Organizers believed the crowd was the largest in the torch’s journey across Canada to that point.
Looking out at the enthusiastic crowd, Hansen said: “This flame is for each and every one of you. Never give up on your dreams.”
The Rio 2016 Olympic Torch Relay continues until the Summer Games begin on Aug. 5.
