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The highlight of the Opening Ceremony of the Atlanta Olympic Games was undoubtedly the lighting of the cauldron by legendary boxer Muhammad Ali. This event came at the end of an Olympic Relay which was over 24,000km long and crossed 42 American states. Thus, on 19 July 1996, Evander Holyfield, a boxing champion from Atlanta, entered the Olympic Stadium carrying the torch. He was soon joined by Greek athlete Voula Patoulidou and together they did a lap of the Stadium, before passing the flame to US swimmer Janet Evans. She made her way to the long ramp which led up to top of the north end of the Stadium and, arriving at the top, lit the torch of the greatest heavyweight boxing champion of all time: Muhammad Ali. To the wild cheers of the crowd, he leaned over and, with a slightly shaky hand, lit a small flame which transferred the flame to the cauldron along a rope. Even today, these images are amongst the most emotional in the history of the Olympic Games.