The Olympic flame, lit traditionally in Olympia, reached Spanish soil at the ancient city of Ampurias. From there, in 43 days, it covered 5,940 kilometers, passing through 652 towns and villages. The President of the International Olympic Committee, Mr. Juan Antonio Samaranch, carried the torch through the streets of his native town, thus becoming the first International Olympic Committee President ever to take an active part in the Olympic flame relay. In the final stage, a flaming arrow shot by a disabled archer, Antonio Rebollo, lit the huge cauldron of the Olympic stadium.
