Russia’s record-breaking Olympic torch relay doesn’t officially begin until Monday, so chalk up what happened at the Kremlin on Sunday as a dress rehearsal.
The flame arrived in Moscow from Greece on Sunday morning after reportedly spending a night in the Athens Hilton and flying economy into the Russian capital.
A ceremony was held at Red Square, where Russian president Vladimir Putin took one of the torches and gave a speech.
Afterward, an unofficial torch relay commenced. A few minutes in, the flame was extinguished. Luckily, there was a man close by with a light. (And, yes, that sounds like part of the “Forrest Gump” soundtrack at the beginning of the clip.)
#Sochi2014 #Olympic Flame is ready to take off from Greece #torchrelay @Olympics pic.twitter.com/FvgyHVNAuE
— Sochi 2014 (@Sochi2014) October 6, 2013