BRASMLIA: The Olympic torch was unveiled in the Brazilian capital Friday ahead of a marathon journey through the giant Latin Ame­rica country next year, ending in Rio de Janeiro for the planet’s biggest sporting event.

President Dilma Rousseff promised a “historic” games in August 2016 at an unveiling ceremony in the capital Brasilia. Officials said the torch -- white and inlaid with blue and green waves -- will depart from Brasilia in May for a tour of 300 cities and towns across the vast country.

“There will be around 12,000 torchbearers and the flame will travel along approximately 20,000 kilometers (12,430 miles) of Brazilian roads,” as well as racking up thousands of air miles, the Rio2016 organizing committee said.

“The Olympic Torch Relay will conclude on 5 August 2016, when the last torchbearer will light the Olympic Cauldron during the opening ceremony, at the Maracana Stadium” in Rio de Janeiro.

Rousseff -- beset by plunging ratings, an ever-expanding corruption scandal centered on state oil company Petrobras, and concerns over security and environmental conditions in Rio during the Olympics -- said the games would show what Brazil can do.

“We are confident that we can meet the challenge before us. We will put on a historic Olympics,” she said.

All Brazilians, said the president, known widely here simply as Dilma, should take inspiration from their athletes.

Athletes train “not to give up, to conquer, with much effort and much work.

Brazil has this characteristic. I am sure that the Olympics is a symbolic moment for us. We will show what this country is made of,” she said.

Published in Dawn, July 4th, 2015

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