1. OLYMPIC TORCH RELAY
Hi my name is Keiran Einspinner and I’m Max and Ted’s mum. Mrs Munro asked me to come along and talk to you about Commonwealth Games and the Olympic Games because I’ve worked on the Olympic Games since I didn’t go in 2004 because Max was born – where Max???? And I didn’t go in 2008 because Ted was Born – where in 2008 ???
I have never been to a Commonwealth Games.
I’m sure you’ve all watched the Games on TV so I thought I’d tell you a little bit about the Olympic Torch Relay and the Queens Baton Relay for the Commonwealth Games.
The Relay always starts in Greece with the lighting of the flame and then flys to the Host country and travels around that region. The idea being to promote the forthcoming Games and promote a message of peace and friendship around the world.
The Relays are very important because that’s how the Games in every city officially begin. For the Olympics that’s when the final torchbearer runs into the stadium and lights the Cauldron.
The Games end when the flame is extinguished 2 weeks later.

2. There is a long tradition of lighting the flame that is carried on today. Everything starts in Greece at a ceremony in Olympia - on the ancient site of the Olympic Games. The Olympic flame represents the positive values that Man has always associated with fire. The purity of the flame is guaranteed by the way it is lit.

3. It’s always lit according to the ancient method using the sun’s rays in a parabolic mirror by actresses playing the part of priestesses

4. First torch is lit. It then makes it’s way to Athens and travels by plane to the Host Country.

5. For air transport, the flame is sheltered in a security lamp, similar to a miner’s lamp. These lamps also follow the torchbearer in case the flame goes out in heavy rain or wind.

6. Over the course of the relay – usually a few months – those lamps always travel in these escort cars.
Torchbearers are usually chosen because the person inspired and brought their communities together through sport, education and culture.

7. Well-known people from in sport, show business and politics continue usually get the opportunity to run with the Torch Relay

9. The highlight of the opening ceremony of the Olympics is the entrance of the Olympic flame into the stadium. And the way the cauldron is lit has also become more spectacular. Generally thought to be the best one ever was Barcelona 1992 when Paralympic Archer ( Antonio Rebollo) shot a flaming arrow 181m to light the Cauldron.

11. The Olympic Games have been held in Australia twice
The Olympic Games have been held in Australia twice. Melbourne 1956 & Sydney Funny story about the 1956 torch relay is that some university students

12. In 1956 the cauldron was lit by Ron Clarke
In 1956 the cauldron was lit by Ron Clarke. In doing so he burnt his entire forearm!

13. SYDNEY 2000
I have a Sydney Torch here. I was lucky enough to run with the Torch in Sydney at Bluey’s Beach and this is the actual torch that I ran with. After you pass on the flame and they run on, the organisers take out the gas cyclinder and it’s the best souvenir.
The dsign was inspired by Sydney Opera House and the curves of a boomerang.
The 3 layers represent earth, water and fire.
Weight – 100g / 1 kg

14. In Sydney for the first time the Flame was taken underwater, on a dive down to the Great Barrier Reef, using a special torch. The torch was modified so it would burn at 2,000 degrees Celsius underwater while underwater.

15. Through the Blue mountains on a bike

16. Aboriginal athlete Nova Peris-Kneebone was the first torchbearer to run in Australia - Around Uluru...

17. Aboriginal athlete, Cathy Freeman was the final torch bearer who lit the cauldron. She went on to win GOLD in 400m.

19. This is the Sydney 2000 Olympic Stadium but you will recognise it as the ANZ Stadium at Homebush.

20. Beijing 2008 (Ted’s birthday)
I also have the Beijing Torch. The design is based on traditional scrolls. It shows a traditional Chinese design known as “Lucky Cloud”. The Chinese people believe the clouds will bring blessings and harmony to their society.
Weight – 985 grams.
It was the first torch to bear the colour red, the classic colour people associate with China.

21. The Beijing Cauldron was lit by Gymnast Li Ning
The Beijing Cauldron was lit by Gymnast Li Ning. After receiving the flame, he was lifted into mid-air with wires and "ran" along the rim of the Stadium to reach the gigantic cauldron, which he ignited.

23. VANCOUVER 2010
This is a Winter Olympic torch. This design is inspired by the cool, crisp and modern lines that are left behind in the snow and ice from Winter Sports.
Weight – 1.6kg
The final torchbearer in Vancouver turned out to be 5 final torchbearers who lit the INDOOR cauldron together – first time?? Then Wayne Gretzky (ice hockey) left the stadium with his torch still lit, and drove in the back of a car where he lit the outdoor Cauldron.
This makes Gretzky the first person to light two cauldrons at the same Olympics.

24. This is the cauldron lit inside
This is the cauldron lit inside.....I loved because it was the warmest WINTER OC I have ever been to!

26. Sochi 2014 Finally, I have the torch from Sochi WINTER Olympics.
Weight – 1.8kg.
The design is based on the contrasts of Russia.
This was the longest Torch Rely in the history of the WINTER games – about 4 months. It stopped at more than 130 towns across Russia.
14,000 torchbearers took part.

27. During the Relay, the torchbearers also chose unusual ways to ravel with the flame.

34. The highlight of the Relay was the torch going to the International space station. It took 6 hours by rocket and then 2 cosmonauts took the torch on a spacewalk. The torch didn’t burn because it would use up too much oxygen. This is the torch that lit the cauldron that began the Games (3x Gold medalist Irina Rodnina (pairs figure skating ) and Vladislav Tetyak (hockey).

38. Arrives in Moscow

39. The oldest torchbearer was 101yo
The oldest torchbearer was 101yo. He trained for his 200m run by jogging with a frozen salmon in his hand.

40. The Opening Ceremony was held in the stadium which was open at one end
The Opening Ceremony was held in the stadium which was open at one end. At the end of the Ceremony Vladislav Tretyak (Ice Hockey) and Irina Rodnina (figure skater) ran outside and lit a mini-cauldron

41. The Olympic flame shoots upward toward the main cauldron

43. COMMONWEALTH GAMES
Commonwealth Games competition starts tonight in Glasgow, Scotland. If you were up very early this morning you may have seen the Queens Baton arrive in Glasgow.

44. QUEENS BATON RELAY
It’s different from the Olympics because it doesn’t have a flame. Baton Relay started in October last year at Buckingham Palace in London, Queen Elizabeth II wrote a message to the Commonwealth on piece of parchment and placed it inside the baton.
The Baton Relay finished this morning (our time) at the Opening Ceremony in Glasgow, where the final Baton bearer will hand the baton back to Her Majesty the Queen who will read aloud her message and officially declare the 2014 Commonwealth Games open.
Only one Baton

45. AND it only visits Commonwealth countries.

46. 4 -15 April 2018