- Who
- Berlin Olympic Games, 1936
- What
- first
- Where
- Germany (Berlin)
- When
- 1936
On 20 July 1936, the Greek athlete Konstantin Kondylis became the first ever Olympic torch bearer when he set off on the first leg of the journey from Olympia (Greece), where the original Olympics were born, to Berlin, Germany, where the 1936 Games were to be held. The 3,187 km (1,980 mi) journey was undertaken by a total of 3,331 runners, who each covered a distance of around 1 km (0.62 mi). The torch itself was designed to stay alight in all weathers, using highly combustible magnesium as fuel and featuring two fuses in case one went out along the way.
