Countdown to the Olympics

Barcelona 1992 – The Lighting of the Cauldron

By far my favorite lighting of the cauldron, despite its simplicity.

Paralympist archer Antonio Rebollo was chosen from a selection of four finalists just two hours before the actual lighting. Preparing for the ceremony required sunrise practices, wind machines to simulate various weather conditions (fortunately for Rebollo, considering the stiff breeze that night), and using “live” ammunition, i.e., actual flaming arrows that often burned their fingers.

“There were no fears, I was practically a robot, I focused on my positioning and reaching the target. My feelings were taken from the people who described to me how they saw it. What they felt, their emotions, their cries. This is what made me realize, what a moment actually meant.” – Antonio Rebollo, 1996