RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - Brazilian marathon runner Vanderlei Cordeiro lit the Olympic cauldron on Friday, August 5 (Saturday Manila time) to mark the start of the 2016 Games.
Cordeiro famously led the 2004 Olympic marathon in Athens before victory was snatched from him when he was attacked by a spectator. He eventually won the bronze.
Tennis star Gustavo Kuertem kicked off the cauldron relay on Friday which concluded the opening ceremony.
He handed over to 1996 Olympic basketball silver medalist Hortencia Marcari who in turn passed it to Cordeiro. – Rappler.com