Olympics 2012: Carrying the flame

Earlier this month in Greece, the Olympic flame began its ceremonial journey to the site of the Summer Games in London. The flame is being carried in a relay by some 8,000 torchbearers to spread the message of peace, unity, and friendship over 70 days until it arrives at the opening ceremonies on July 27. -- Lloyd Young -- Editor's note: We'll be posting additional Olympic themed galleries leading up to and throughout the games. (29 photos total)

Nadine Struijk of The Netherlands, carrying the Olympic flame during the torch relay through Brynmawr, Wales, on May 25. Struijk was in the Dutch national synchronized swimming team for many years and now coaches the junior Dutch team, but gets her moment to shine here in the torch relay running up to the London Olympic Games. (Gareth Fuller/Locog via Associated Press)

The Olympic flame during a hand-over on the leg between Cardigan/Aberteifi and Brynhoffnant on May 27 in Wales. The Olympic torch is on the ninth day of it's journey around the United Kingdom which will involve 8,000 torchbearers covering 8,000 miles. (Locog via Getty Images) 

Olympic gold medal sailor and the first London 2012 torchbearer, Ben Ainslie, waves to the helicopter delivering the Olympic flame as he waits beside the Lands End sign on May 19 in Cornwall, England. The Olympic flame arrived in the UK yesterday and now begins a 70-day relay involving 8,000 torchbearers covering 8,000 miles. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images) 

Metropolitan Police Inspector Andy Marriner secures the Olympic flame into seats 1A and 1B for the flight back to the UK, on board a British Airways jet in Athens May 18. The London 2012 Olympic Games run from July 27 to August 12. (Locog via Reuters) 

The Olympic flame is seen burning in a cauldron during a ceremonial arrival at RNAS Culdrose base near Helston in Cornwall, south west England on May 18. (Toby Melville/Reuters) 

Joanne Gregory carries the Olympic torch on a hand drawn canal boat across the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on May 30 in Llangollen, Wales. The Olympic flame is now on day 12 of a 70-day relay involving 8,000 torchbearers covering 8,000 miles. (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) 

Olympic flame torchbearer Sarah Blight poses for photographs in front of St Michael's Mount on May 19 in Cornwall, England. The Olympic flame arrived in the UK yesterday and now begins a 70-day relay involving 8,000 torchbearers covering 8,000 miles. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images) 

The finger nails of Olympic flame torchbearer Sarah Blight are decorated in a Union Jack design as she poses for photographs in front of St Michael's Mount on May 19 in Cornwall, England. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images) 

Adventurer and television presenter Ben Fogle carries the Olympic lantern on a tree pruning helium balloon in a biodome at the Eden Project near St Austell in Cornwall, south west England on May 19. (Toby Melville/Reuters) 

Olympic torchbearer Vince Jeffery runs with the Olympic flame through Porlock on May 21 near Minehead, England. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images) 

A girl smiles after watching the giant Olympic rings officially unveiled at the Belfast City Hall in Belfast, Northern Ireland on May 19. As the UK prepares to welcome the world in the summer, the latest set of giant Olympic rings were unveiled in Belfast. The Olympic spectacular will be unveiled ahead of the Olympic flame arriving in Northern Ireland in June, and will be a focal point for celebrations. (Peter Muhly/AFP/Getty Images) 

Tassy Swallow carries the Olympic flame as it leaves Lands End on May 19 in Cornwall, England. The Olympic Flame arrived in the UK yesterday and now begins a 70-day relay involving 8,000 torchbearers covering 8,000 miles. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images) 

Fireworks greet an Olympic torchbearer as he runs with Olympic flame across the Clifton Suspension Bridge on May 23 in Bristol, England. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images) 

Sir Chris Bonington holds the Olympic torch on Mount Snowdon on May 29 in Llanberis, United Kingdom. Legendary mountaineer Sir Chris Bonington (77) was given the honor of carrying the torch to the summit of Wales's highest mountain, the place his climbing career began 61 years ago. (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) 

The Beaumaris RNLI lifeboat crew assist Olympic torchbearer Elen Evans as she carries the Olympic flame across the Menai Strait on May 28 in Beaumaris, Wales. (Locog via Getty Images) 

Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas passes the Olympic Flame to torchbearer Emma Fowler in Taunton, southwest England on May 21. The Black Eyed Peas star was cheered on by thousands of people as he ran through Taunton carrying the flame. The US-born music producer was a surprise addition to the line-up on day three of the relay. (Ireland/Press Association via Associated Press) 

Kevin Pearson waves a Union Jack flag as he watches the Olympic torch relay from his ladder in Wells, south west England on May 22. The Olympic torch relay is on its fourth day as it traverses Britain ahead of the July 27 opening of the London Games. (Joe Giddens/Locog via Associated Press) 

Crowds line the streets as a locally organized torch relay race is run ahead of the Olympic torch relay in Hatherleigh in south west England on May 21. Some 8000 runners are participating in the Olympic torch relay which will cover over 8000 miles throughout Britain, Northern Ireland and Ireland over the next ten weeks before the London 2012 Olympics. (Toby Melville/Reuters) 

Zara Phillips holds the Olympic torch while riding through Cheltenham race course in Cheltenham on May 23. (Kieran Doherty/Reuters) 

An Olympic games flag waves as spectators hold umbrellas during a handover for the Olympic flame ceremony in Panathinean stadium in Athens, Greece on May 17. (Petros Giannakouris/Associated Press) 

Spyridon Gianniotis, Greece's world champion of swimming, carries the flame during a dress rehearsal for the torch lighting ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the site of ancient Olympia in Greece on May 9. The official lighting ceremony for the London Games will take place on May 10. (Kevin Coombs/Reuters) 

Actress Ino Menegaki as the role of the high priestess hands the torch with the flame to the Greek Olympic Committee president, Spyros Kapralos during the handover ceremony of the Olympic flame for the 2012 London Olympics at the Panathenaic stadium in Athens on May 17. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP/Getty Images)

The Olympic flame burns during the handover ceremony of the Olympic flame for the 2012 London Olympics at the Panathenaic stadium in Athens on May 17. The Olympic torch handover ceremony was held at the Panathenaic Stadium with Greece giving the flame to British officials ahead of the London 2012 Games. (Angelos Tzortzinis/AFP/Getty Images) 

Torchbearers pass the Olympic flame during the handover ceremony at the Athens all marble Panathenaic stadium on May 17. (Aris Messinis/AFP/Getty Images) 

Olympic torch from a cauldron with the Olympic flame atop the Athens Acropolis on May 17. Greece formally handed over the Olympic flame to a London delegation led by Princess Anne and including David Beckham on Thursday at the Panathenaic stadium where the first modern Games were held in 1896. (Yorgos Karahalis/Reuters) 

The Olympic flame burns in a cauldron atop the Athens Acropolis on May 16 in Athens, Greece. (Yannis Behrakis/Getty Images) 

The first torch barrier, swimmer Spyros Gianniotis, runs with the Olympic flame on May 10 during the lighting ceremony at the ancient site of Olympia, the sanctuary where the Olympic Games were born in 776 B.C. The ceremony marks the start of a week-long torch relay, which will take it to five major Greek archaeological sites, including the Acropolis, before it arrives at the old Olympic stadium in Athens, site of the first modern Games in 1896. (Angelos Tzortzinis/AFP/Getty Images) 

Greek actress Ino Menegaki (right) playing the role of High Priestess, lights the Olympic flame during the torch lighting ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the site of ancient Olympia in Greece on May 10. (John Kolesidis/Reuters) 

Greek actress Ino Menegaki, playing the role of High Priestess, holds up the cauldron with the Olympic flame during the torch lighting ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the site of ancient Olympia in Greece on May 10. (John Kolesidis/Reuters)