The Tech Behind The Torch

Most corporate CEO's don't get to go the Olympics. Fewer yet get to carry the Olympic torch as part of the torch bearer relay. Sports Innovation Lab CEO and co-founder Angela Ruggiero had the honor of being an Olympic torch bearer two weeks ago in PyeongChang, South Korea, and what she saw in her experience was that even the historic Olympic Torch Relay has felt the impact of new technology.

"The torch relay was being broadcast live on the Olympic Channel. There were 4 cameras on the truck and a very effective microphone to pick up audio," Angela relayed from the Games. "You were asked to run, but talk to the camera and friends and family back home, in order to share the experience and reach as many people as possible."

The torchbearers are positioned by vehicle ahead of the current runner, and in that van the stream of the relay is shown to get the other torchbearers in the spirit of the moment.

Angela was positioned in front of a children's school, where groups of children were cheering her on and getting her excited for her leg of the relay.

"I was given the flame by Anita DeFranz, senior IOC member from the USA. We did a sort of Wonder Woman power pose during the hand-off."

"I ran for about 200m, then handed the flame to Willy Kaltschmitt from Guatemala. He is an IOC executive board member as well. We did a salsa dance when I was handing the flame to him."

The torch itself is a marvel of industrial design, created to resist the threatening cold, wind, and snow in PyeongChang during the relay. The torch has four chambers and an umbrella-shaped cap to protect the flame from being extinguished by adverse winter weather. Perhaps even more impressively, the torch is designed with channels that use the wind to fuel the torch flame with oxygen, rather than blow it out.

It's incredible to have Angela representing the Lab in PyeongChang, and her experience as part of the Olympic torch relay was an unbelievable opportunity.