Greek communities in Sydney and Melbourne will be a major focus of the Athens Olympic torch relay when it arrives in Australia next year, the first country of 25 on a trip that includes all cities that have hosted a Summer Games.

Following the traditional lighting at Mt. Olympia in Greece in late May of next year, the torch will travel to Athens before arriving in Sydney on June 4, 2004, to be met with an indigenous welcome ceremony at Sydney Airport, the Australian Olympic Committee said Wednesday.

The first runner on the Australian leg will be 400-meter Sydney gold medalist Cathy Freeman, who lit the Olympic flame in Sydney. Freeman retired this year.

The torch will stay in Sydney for the day and be transported to such landmarks as the Opera House and Bondi Beach before going to Brighton-le-Sands _ the eastern suburbs home to much of the city's Greek community.

It will end the day at Sydney Olympic Park, where it will revisit the Olympic stadium, site of the 2000 Games, and the Olympic cauldron will be re-lit.

The following day, the torch will travel to the 1956 Olympic city of Melbourne.

It will leave that night for its next destination, 1964 Olympic host city Tokyo, before eventually making its way back to Athens for the opening ceremony on Aug. 13, 2004.

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