Greece's Anna Korakaki becomes first female athlete chosen to launch Olympic torch relay

For the first time in history, a female has been chosen to launch the torch relay for the 2020 Tokyo Games at the birthplace of the ancient Olympics in Greece, with Greek shooting champion Anna Korakaki given the honor.

Greece's Olympic committee said on Thursday it had picked Rio de Janeiro shooting gold medallist Anna Korakaki as the first torchbearer following the flame-lighting ceremony in Ancient Olympia on March 12.

The carefully choreographed ceremony is led by an actress posing as an ancient Greek priestess who lights the flame using a bowl-shaped mirror to focus the heat of the sun's rays on her torch.

She will then pass it on to Korakaki.

The torch relay will course through Greece for a week before the flame is handed over to Tokyo organising officials at a ceremony in Athens.

The last torchbearer will also be a woman - Greece's Katerina Stefanidi who won the pole vault gold medal in Rio.

Greece's national Olympic committee president Spyros Capralos said Korakaki's selection was a "historic" moment.

*Source: Associated Press