A sandstorm hit Ancient Olympia, the Olympics' holy city, Sunday, affecting the final rehearsal for the start of the Beijing Games torch relay.

The head priestess (C), actress Maria Nafpliotou, raises the torch of Olympic flame during the last rehearsal of the Olympic Flame Lighting Ceremony in Olympia, Greece, March 23, 2008. (Xinhua)

Clouds over the birthplace of the ancient Games prevented organizers from kindling the torch in the traditional way - using the sun's rays harnessed in a convex mirror.

Instead, a Greek actress in the white gown and sandals of a pagan High Priestess used a backup flame lit at a rehearsal on Saturday.

That flame will be brought to China if storms forecast for today scuttle the official ceremony beside the 2,600-year-old Temple of Hera.

"We hope the weather is good tomorrow," Greek Culture Minister Michalis Liapis said yesterday.

Clouds spoiled the ceremonies for the 2000 Sydney Olympics and the past three Winter Olympics. Concerned about bad weather forecast for today, the Hellenic Olympic Committee decided to move the ceremony from midday to 11am.

The Mayor of Olympia, George Aidonis, said: "We all expect the lighting ceremony to go ahead smoothly, but due to the weather forecast we prefer to advance the time, because nobody wants to have the ceremony indoors."

More than 30 Greek actresses, dancers and musicians took part in the rehearsal yesterday. Actress Maria Nafpliotou offered a mock prayer to the ancient sun god Apollo, before trying to light the flame.

For the first time, organizers have set an age limit of 40 for participants in the carefully orchestrated event.

"The image is very important," Greek International Olympics Committee Vice President Lambis Nikolaou said. "The younger the girls, the prettier they are."

From Olympia, the flame will be carried for 1,528 kilometers through Greece by 645 runners. It will be handed over to the Beijing Olympic Committee on March 30 at the stadium in Athens where the first modern Games were held in 1896.

A relay of runners will then carry the flame for 137,000 kilometers over 130 days.

(Shanghai Daily via chinaview.cn March 24, 2008)