Olympic torch relay almost complete as it visits Christ the Redeemer
Brazilian volleyball hero Isabel Barroso Salgado holds torch, but will soccer star Pele make a cameo?
The Olympic flame has hit the most famous landmark in Brazil and is on its final stretch before this evening's opening ceremony to officially kick off the Rio Olympics.
Brazilian volleyballer and former Olympian Isabel Barroso Salgado was emotional as she stood beneath the almost 40-metre-tall Christ the Redeemer statue, holding the torch straight above her head with both arms outstretched.
The former medalist received a blessing as cameras snapped all around.
From there, the flame headed off toward Pao de Acucar and through the neighbourhoods of Urca, Botafogo and Aterra de Flamengo where the relay will end.
Wow what a moment! Torch relay in action in Sao Conrado! <a href="https://twitter.com/CBCOlympics">@CBCOlympics</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rio2016?src=hash">#Rio2016</a> <a href="https://t.co/Y2HpyWwLCE">pic.twitter.com/Y2HpyWwLCE</a>
—@CBCharlsieSalgado competed in the 1980 and 1984 Games, but this time around she will be cheering on her son Pedro Solberg, who will compete for Brazil at these Games in beach volleyball.
The iconic statue is one of the final stops on its 94-day journey across the country, after having made the trek to South America for the first time.
The flame's journey will culminate in the lighting of the cauldron at the end of the opening ceremony at Maracana Stadium this evening, a symbolic gesture to kick off the athletic events. A major source of speculation is whether or not Brazilian soccer star Pele will make an appearance or be involved at some point. But on Friday Brazil's most famous athlete and the man some people believe is the greatest soccer player of all time told the Associated Press that ill health prevents him from participating in the opening ceremony.
Millions of television viewers from around the world are expected to watch the three-hour ceremony, the details of which are still very much a mystery.
American sculptor Anthony Howe, who designed the cauldron that will hold the flame, told The Associated Press that his inspiration was life in the tropics. There will be two cauldrons in Rio, one at the Maracana soccer stadium that is hosting the opening ceremony and another open to the public in downtown Rio.
Howe says the cauldron in central Rio will be lit by a runner after the opening ceremony ends.
Organizers haven't revealed too much, but we know that global warming and the environment, especially the country's magnificent Amazon rainforest, will be important parts of the performance.
With files from The Associated Press and Reuters