Torchbearer 002 Ella Statham carries the Olympic Flame on the Torch Relay leg through Greenwich Naval Collage (Royal London Borough). Picture: Ben Birchall/LOCOG/PA

London 2012: Olympic Flame starts journey around London

Sarah Shaffi, Olympics editor (news) Saturday, July 21, 2012
8:46 AM

The Torch relay has started its seven day journey around London ahead of the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.

The relay started in Greenwich, and the first torchbearer was Natasha Sinha, 15, from Greenwich who was nominated for her dedication to swimming and cross country running.

She carried the Flame from the Royal Observatory and the Meridian Time Line, through Greenwich Park to the London 2012 Equestrian Arena.

She handed the Flame to Ella Statham, 15, also from Greenwich, who was nominated for her volunteering work with the London Football Association.

It was also taken on a lap around the Cutty Sark by Sir Robin Knox-Johnson, the first person to sail solo non-stop around the world, founded the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race in 1995 and has been a Cutty Sark Trustee since 2011.

Later this morning it will be taken to the top of The O2, and then on the Woolwich Ferry to Newham.

Among those to carry the Flame in Newham - the home borough of the Games - will be Tessa Sanderson-White, who remains the only British woman ever to win an Olympic throwing gold medal, after her success in the Javelin at the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games.

Samuel Bernahu, 19, from Newham, will carry the Olympic Flame onto the stage at the Mayor’s Newham Show in Central Park.

The Flame goes to Tower Hamlets in the afternoon, where it will stop at a celebration in Stepney Green Park. Tahmina Begum, 19, from Tower Hamlets, will carry the Flame on to the celebration stage. She was the winner of the Chelsea Community Sports Award and became the first qualified Bangladeshi female football referee.

Following its journey through Tower Hamlets the Flame goes to Hackney, where it will go to Clissold Park and past Hackney Town Hall, before heading to Waltham Forest, its final borough for the day.

The final torchbearer of the day will be footballer Fabrice Muamba, who will light the cauldron at the evening celebration.