Who lit the Olympic cauldron with an arrow at Barcelona 1992?

Antonio Rebollo lit the Olympic cauldron with an arrow at Barcelona 1992.

Rebollo, a Spanish Paralympic archer, fired a flaming arrow toward the cauldron during the opening ceremony of the 1992 Summer Olympics. The shot became one of the most memorable Olympic lighting ceremonies because it appeared to ignite the cauldron from a distance.

The ceremony took place at Barcelona’s Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc on 25 July 1992. Rebollo was selected both for his archery ability and for the symbolism of an athlete with a disability opening the Games. He had won Paralympic medals in archery before the ceremony.

A common misconception is that the arrow physically entered the cauldron. The effect was carefully engineered: the arrow passed over the cauldron while the gas system ignited at the intended moment. The performance was rehearsed extensively to ensure accuracy and safety.