Special Olympics flame to be lit in Athens, Greece

ANCHORAGE (AP) -- A ceremony will be held in Athens, Greece this month to light the flame to be used in the 2001 Special Olympics Winter Games in Anchorage.

The ceremony to light the Flame of Hope will be held Feb. 17 in the atrium of the Zappeion Olympic Palace. The palace was built in 1894 and served as the Olympic village for the first modern day Olympic Games held in Athens in 1896.

After the ceremony, the torch will begin its journey of over 5,500 miles to Anchorage where more than 2,500 athletes and coaches from more than 80 countries are expected to participate in the Special Olympics. The games will be held March 4-11.

The athletes will compete in seven sports: cross country skiing, Alpine skiing, speed skating, figure skating, floor hockey, snowshoe racing and snowboarding.