Seventeen year old takes Olympic torch on Ferris wheel, 443 feet above London

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LONDON — Amelia Hempleman-Adams is famous for going South — as in the South Pole, where the then 16-year-old British skier became the youngest person to ski there in Dec. 2011.

But during the final stages of the Summer Olympic torch relay in London on Sunday morning, she offered one of its most memorable images thus far: Ascending to the top of the London Eye Ferris wheel, 443 feet above the city.



From the Guardian:

The stunt was suggested to the teenager, who told the BBC: "I decided to see what I'd have to do, thought about it and decided to do it. It was amazing to look out and see the whole of London."

Amelia, who has tickets for the athletics and diving events, added: "The height was quite scary but you know you're safe so it's not too bad. It was a once in a lifetime experience, especially as the Olympics are in London. It makes it more special."

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Here's the full story from BBC News, speaking with Hempleman-Adams:



If you're wondering how high 443 feet about London is … it's this high:

Wow. Among the other torch bearers on Sunday: Boxing champ Lennox Lewis and Britain's Got Talent-winning street dance troupe Diversity, which "will carry the flame on to the stage at the Dagenham Town Show."