Princess Anne takes the Torch in Athens at Olympic Handover

The Princess Royal, President of the British Olympic Association, took the Olympic torch from Spyros Capralos, in the Panathenaic Stadium yesterday. Other members of the British delegation included David Beckham, Boris Johnson, Lord Coe, and Hugh Robertson – all beaming with pride as they took part in the historic ceremony. Despite the rain, the ceremony that took place at the Stadium was quite magnificent. Princess Anne, along with Greek President Karolos Papoulias, sat in ancient thrones to view the handover ceremony rich with ancient rituals and traditions.

The torch has now arrived to the United Kingdom, where it will start its 70 day relay around the country. The relay will involve 8,000 torchbearers who are to cover 8,000 miles, until the torch finally arrives at London’s Olympic Stadium for the opening of the Games on July 27.

Princess Anne, who herself competed at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, admitted she would find it very difficult to compete in London because of heavy pressure. In an interview to BBC Sport, the Princess said: “I would have found it really difficult, I suspect, to do it on a home patch; much easier to have done it elsewhere. I’d hate to be doing it now – that’s all I can tell you. It’s got worse.”

Filed under The United Kingdom
Tagged Greece, Interview, Olympic Games, Sport, The Princess Royal, Torch Relay, Working Visit.

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