Athens, 3rd June – In a simple but traditional ceremony organised by the Hellenic Olympic Committee, the Flame for the Utrecht 2013 EYOF was lit with the rays of the sun at the Panathenaic Stadium, Athens, on Thursday, 30th May, after which the President of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, Spyros Capralos, handed it over to the Chair of the Utrecht 2013 Organising Committee, Ms Rinda Den Besten, in the presence of Utrecht 2013 CEO, Mr. Henny Smorenburg, NOC*NSF Secretary General Gerard Dielessen, the Dutch Ambassador in Athens, Mr. Jan Vesteeg, and Members of the Hellenic Olympic Committee.
This 12th edition of the summer EYOFs will start on Sunday the 14th of July and will continue until the Friday the 19th, with over 3’000 participants from the 49 nations of Olympic Europe competing in the 9 sports on the programme.