The Brazilian marathoner, who's considered a hero after a 2014 incident at the Olympics in Athens, lit the cauldron at the Maracana Stadium after Pele canceled his appearance.
- August 6, 2016
AceShowbiz -
The 2016 Rio Olympics has officially been kicked off. Brazilian marathoner Vanderlei de Lima lit the cauldron during the opening ceremony at Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Friday evening, August 5.
De Lima wasn't the first athlete chosen to do the honor. He filled in for the legendary soccer player Pele, who was forced to cancel his appearance just hours earlier due to the pain caused by his recent hip replacement surgery.
"At this point I'm not physically able to attend the opening of the Olympics," the 75-year-old said in a statement released earlier on Friday. "As a Brazilian, I ask God to bless all who participate in this event and to make it a great success."
Vanderlei Cordeiro de Lima has the honour of lighting the Olympic flame #OpeningCeremony https://t.co/vFMP4Z1CV7 pic.twitter.com/wA85WXTB8R
— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) August 6, 2016
Following Pele's withdrawal from the event, De Lima became one of the strongest contenders to light up the Olympic flame. To those who have no idea who he is, the 46-year-old runner was considered a hero by his fellow Brazilians after being attacked by a protester during the 2004 Olympics in Athens. He was leading the race when the incident happened. He ended up finishing third, but was ultimately awarded the Pierre de Coubertin medal for sportsmanship.
