2002 Winter Paralympics torch relay
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| Host city | Salt Lake City, Utah, United States |
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| Start date | March 1, 2002 |
| End date | March 7, 2002 |
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| Part of a series on |
| 2002 Winter Paralympics |
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The 2002 Winter Paralympics torch relay, known as the Journey of Fire, was held between March 1 and March 7, leading up to the 2002 Winter Paralympics in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Paralympic flames were lit in 15 Utah cities and merged in Salt Lake City, with the resulting fire then carried around the city to the opening ceremony on March 7.[1][2]
Relay
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Plans for the Paralympic torch relay were announced on December 12, 2001. Initially, 16 Utah cities were announced as planning to host flame lighting ceremonies, but North Ogden's ceremony was later canceled.[3]
The Paralympic flame was lit in 15 separate ceremonies in various Utah cities, using a variety of means. With no standardized procedure like the lighting of the Olympic flame at Olympia, Greece, Salt Lake Organizing Committee president Mitt Romney encouraged the various communities to ignite their fires in their own unique ways.[4] For example, the flame in Springville was lit by a "mountain man" capable of igniting a fire with his bare hands in six seconds.[5][6] At the Salt Lake County Ice Center in Murray, Canadian sledge hockey captain Todd Nicholson activated the flame by scoring a goal.[7]
The first flame was lit on Friday, March 1 in Woods Cross, with additional lighting ceremonies taking place later the same evening in Brigham City, American Fork, and Moab. Four more flames were ignited on March 2, in Heber City, Kaysville, Cedar City, and Sandy. On March 4, another four flames were lit in Park City, St. George, Layton, and West Valley City. The final three flames were lit on March 5 in Murray, Centerville, and Springville.[5]
On the evening of March 6, the 15 community flames were merged into a single cauldron in front of the Salt Lake City and County Building.[8] The torch run began the following morning, taking the flame past the Delta Center and the Utah State Capitol, through Liberty Park, and to Shriners Hospital on its way to the opening ceremony at Rice–Eccles Stadium.[9] The 100 torchbearers who ran across the city included Utah savant Kim Peek, who inspired the film Rain Man.[7] The flame was brought into the stadium by Erik Weihenmayer, the first blind person to climb Mount Everest, and his guide dog. Weihenmayer passed the torch to skiers Muffy Davis and Chris Waddell, who lit the cauldron.[10]
References
[edit]- ^ "The Paralympic Flame", Salt Lake 2002 Legacy. Archived at the WayBack Machine on November 10, 2013.
- ^ "Journey of Fire Sparks Community Spirit", Salt Lake 2002 Paralympics, February 1, 2002. Archived at the WayBack Machine on March 30, 2002.
- ^ "Journey of Fire to Fuel the Spirit of the Paralympic Winter Games Across Utah", Salt Lake 2002 Paralympics, December 12, 2001. Archived at the WayBack Machine on February 12, 2002.
- ^ Buttars, Lori. "Paralympic Torch Run Will Be a 'Journey of Fire'", Salt Lake Tribune, December 13, 2001, pages C-1 and C-2.
- ^ a b Walch, Tad. "Separate flames will create Paralympic fire", Provo Daily Herald, March 1, 2002, front page and page A4.
- ^ White, Elizabeth, Jerry Johnston, and Sharon Haddock. "Flame is alight for the Paralympics", Deseret News, March 2, 2002, Web. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
- ^ a b Gorrell, Mike. "Spirit to Unite in One Flame", Salt Lake Tribune, March 6, 2002, pages C1 and C8.
- ^ Wharton, Tom. "Paralympic Torch Run Will Be a 'Journey of Fire'", Salt Lake Tribune, March 7, 2002, front page.
- ^ "Today's Journey of Fire Route", Salt Lake Tribune, March 7, 2002, page O4.
- ^ Henetz, Patty. "Paralympics begin: Athletes from 36 countries", Associated Press, via Lancaster New Era, March 8, 2002, page C20.