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Seven young British athletes light Olympic cauldron

The structure consisted of 205 copper petals, according to the number of countries participating in the Olympics

LONDON, July 28 (Itar-Tass) — The cauldron of the 2012 Olympic Games was lit in London on Saturday. The honour to light the cauldron at the Olympic Stadium was given to seven young British athletes.

Monitors at the stadium showed the torch that appeared in a boat with famous English soccer player David Beckham, in the hands of the girl, who seven years ago presented London’s Olympic bid. She handed the Olympic flame to winner of gold medals at five consecutive Olympic Games rower Steve Redgrave.

After a relay at the stadium the torch was handed over to seven young athletes who simultaneously came up to a giant structure in the middle of the stadium. The structure consisted of 205 copper petals, according to the number of countries participating in the Olympics. The seven young athletes lit a single tiny flame within a copper petal on the ground, which triggered the ignition of the other petals. Long stems on the cauldron then rose towards each other to form one flame, described as a flame of unity.