The First Woman to Light the Olympic Torch
Imagine you’re a twenty-year-old sprinter from Mexico. And that your country has won the honor to host the Olympics in 1968. Guess what? You’ve been chosen to light the Olympic Torch!
Such was the fortune of Norma Enriqueta Basilio de Sotelo, who became the first woman ever to light the Olympic torch. And this development was a high point in an Olympics almost canceled thanks to controversies surrounding it.
Norma will always be part of Olympic history. Even as she pursues a career in the Mexican legislature, she will always be remembered as a symbol of equality—and the dream of a world where the fairer sex is considered with the same regard as men. For any discussion of the Olympic Torch and its history must include this milestone.
Tags: Mexico 1968, Olympians, Olympic Torch, Opening Ceremony, TriviaRelated Stories
POSTED IN: Olympians, Olympic Torch, Trivia
2 opinions for The First Woman to Light the Olympic Torch
stevie
Jun 19, 2007 at 6:47 am
what do u light the torch with
chuck
Dec 31, 2007 at 9:29 am
Where is the torch now and what route/dates did it travel through Mexico? Puerto Vallarta in particular?
Thanks
Have an opinion? Leave a comment: