In Pictures: The Olympic Torch Arrives in Brazil

The torch will pass through more than 300 towns & cities in Brazil before arriving at the Maracana Stadium in Rio.

Brazilian volleyball player Fabiana Claudino holds the Olympic torch after the torch lighting ceremony at Planalto presidential palace in Brasilia. (Photo: AP)

Some of Brazil’s best athletes were among the first 10 people in the South American country to carry the Olympic torch, which arrived in the capital city of Brasilia from Switzerland on Tuesday morning, beginning its journey through the country.

Brazilian Olympic Committee President with the lantern containing the Olympic flame as he deplanes in Brasilia, Brazil. It was flown inside a small lantern on a special flight from the Swiss city of Geneva to Brasilia. (Photo: AP)

The Olympic flame began its 95-day journey through over 300 of Brazil’s cities and the relay will come to an end at the Olympic Games official inauguration ceremony which will take place at the Maracana Stadium on 5 August in Rio de Janeiro.

Brazil’s athlete Hudson Alves rappels down in front of a huge Brazilian flag, carrying the Olympic flame in a lantern during the torch relay in Brasilia. (Photo: AP)

Two-time Olympic volleyball champion at Beijing 2008 and London 2012, Fabiana Claudino, received the torch from the hands of Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff at the Planalto Palace.

Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff lights the Olympic flame as Brazilian volleyball player Fabiana Claudino looks on. (Photo: AP)

Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff holds the Olympic torch as Brazilian volleyball player Fabiana Claudino applauds after the torch was ignited at Planalto presidential palace in Brasilia (Photo: AP)

The second torch bearer, Arturo Avila Cordeiro de Melo, was the first Latin American to win the fields medal, considered the Nobel Prize of mathematics.

Among others, Angelo Assumpcao (artistic gymnastics) and Adriana Araujo, who won Brazil’s first Olympic medal in women’s boxing with a bronze medal in the 60 kg category at London 2012, were also among the privileged few that were chosen to carry the torch at the start of its journey in the South American country.

Brazil’s former soccer player Lucio da Silva Ferreira holds the Olympic torch by the Brazilian flag during the torch relay in Brasilia, Brazil. (Photo: AP)

Jose Batista holds the Olympic torch aloft as he rides his horse over the obstacle course. (Photo: AP)

Brazil’s Indian athlete Kamukaika Lappa of the Yawalapiti ethnic group carries the Olympic torch during the torch relay in Brasilia. (Photo: AP)

The torch will pass through more than 300 towns and cities in the Latin American country from the Amazon to Brazil’s southern border, before arriving at the Maracana Stadium in Rio on 5 August.

(With inputs from IANS.)