Olympic flame put out during journey to LondonMay 10, 2012 - 18:22 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The Olympic torch has begun its journey to London after surviving a scare when the sacred flame was extinguished shortly before it was used to light the 'cheese grater', The Telegraph reports. A gust of wind put the flame out as it was being carried out in a bowl from the temple of Hera, where it had been lit from the rays of the sun, into the ancient stadium in Olympia. The Priestess carrying the flame had to leave the arena and re-light the bowl from a lamp that had been lit earlier as insurance against the flame going out. The London torch was then successfully lit and the first leg of the relay was run through the ancient Olympic stadium by Liverpool-born Greek swimming world champion Spyros Gianniotis. He handed the torch to Alex Loukos from Newham, 19, who was a member of the victorious London bid team in Singapore in 2005. The torch will travel around Greece for a week before arriving in Cornwall on Friday May 18. Top stories Armenian gymnast, Olympic bronze medalist Artur Davtyan has reached the finals of the World Cup. Gor Manvelyan has denied reports alleging that he has expressed a desire to one day play for the French national team. Roma midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan is not considering FC Spartak Moscow as his next haven, according to fresh reports. 10 Armenian lifters will compete in the 2021 World Championships scheduled to be held from 7 to 17 December in Tashkent. Partner news | Russia provides info about arrested Armenian ex-MP Russian law enforcement agencies have provided information about the arrest of Tigran Urikhanyan. Lemkin Institue slams Pashinyan's “cryptic engagement with Genocide denial” The Lemkin Institute is alarmed over Pashinyan’s statements “questioning Armenia's legal basis to pursue justice against Turkey”. 41 detained as antigovernment protests continue in Yerevan 41 people were detained in Yerevan as people demanding Pashinian’s resignation stage campaigns of civil disobedience. Armenia votes for UN resolution granting Palestine new rights The U.N. General Assembly voted by a wide margin on May 10 to grant new “rights and privileges” to Palestine. |