This is not the way that it is supposed to work. The 2012 Olympic torch relay and Olympic Games was recently lit during a ceremony in Olympia, Greece. However, the ceremony featured some heavy winds which extinguished the torch which was supposed to be lit for quite a while. The torch had to be relit before being handed to a torchbearer.
According to the BBC:
The flame was kindled by an actress, playing a “high priestess”, who caught the sun’s rays in a parabolic mirror at the Temple of Hera ruins, by the ancient Olympic Games stadium.
Not the best start to the summer games, in my opinion.
