Who WIll Light to Cauldron?

The identity of the final torchbearer is always a well-kept secret, heightening the drama of a relay that takes months to complete and is one of the grand symbols of the Games.  The idea of a torch relay was devised for the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, linking to host city to the original Games in Olympia, Greece.  This year's relay to London will cover 8,000 miles over 70 days before the flame is lit at the Olympic Stadium by a person unknown.

London odds makers have installed Steven Redgrave as the favorite.  Redgrave captured rowing gold in every Olympics between Los Angeles 1984 and Sydney 2000.  He also won nine world championships and was knighted 2001.

The second favorite is Kelly Holmes who captured gold in the 800 meters and 1500 meters in Athens.

The 1980 & 1984 Olympic decathlon champion Daley Thompson is considered the third favorite.  Recently, Thompson and Redgrave have been trading jabs in the press that are undignified for those who could potentially light the Olympic flame. 

The debate over who should light the London Olympic cauldron at next Friday's opening ceremony has turned into a war of words between Daley Thompson and Steve Redgrave, two of the main contenders.

Redgrave won rowing golds at five consecutive Olympics and is the bookmakers' favourite to perform the symbolic act with double decathlon gold medal winner Thompson third favourite.  Thompson has long been a friend of Sebastian Coe, the president of the London Olympic Organizing Committee.  Thompson dismissed Redgrave, ''In my opinion Sebastian Coe is the second greatest Olympian, after myself.  Steve Redgrave is not in the same class as Seb Coe. He is a rower, but I think track and field is the toughest sport in the Olympics, which means the rewards are greater.''

Redgrave had previously knocked Thompson, ''Obviously, Daley was a great athlete. Some people, Seb Coe included, think he's the best athlete ever. My personal view is that he doesn't make the top five of great British Olympians. I'd put Seb above him, and Kelly Holmes, certainly Ben Ainslie, and, all modesty aside, myself and Matt Pinsent.  I say that because, to me, athletes compete at the decathlon if they are great all-rounders instead of being supreme in one event.''

Other contenders as the final torchbearer are current British Olympians diver Tom Daley and cyclist Chris Hoy; 1972 pentathlon champion Mary Peters; and mile legend Roger Bannister.

With Thompson and Redgrave sniping in the press, the chances of Kelly Holmes may have improved and in the first Games where every nation will send female athletes, a female lighting the flame would be symbolic.

Another possibility is a trio of athletes.  One each from England, Scotland and Wales.  Perhaps of of the above from England, Lynn Davies the 1964 long jump champ from Wales and 1976 swimming champ David Wilkie or 1980 100 meter champ Alan Wells from Scotland.

At other times, a complete unknown lights the cauldron.

Perhaps, at age 90, sailor David Bond, the lone survivor of the six British gold medalists in London in 1948 could be on hand dependent upon his health.