The Agitos were revealed by a spectacular stunt, which saw members of the Royal Air Force fast rope down from a helicopter and hand Paralympic archer Alasdair Hamilton an arrow, which he then shot into a target by the Agitos and set off three plumes of smoke in the colours of the Agitos.
The launch was attended by London 2012 Director of Paralympic Integration and nine-time gold medallist Chris Holmes, Paralympic archer Alasdair Hamilton and members of the Royal Air Force.
The 14m wide, 9m high Agitos will provide a stunning backdrop for the start of Edinburgh’s Paralympic Torch Relay celebrations this Friday, when the Scottish Flame will be used to light a ceremonial cauldron. The Agitos weigh just under one tonne and are made entirely of aluminium with a powder coat finish, with the recognisable red, blue and green colours. In total, 650 hour was spent designing, engineering and fabricating the Agitos.
The highlight of Friday's event will be a spectacular lantern procession which will accompany eight Torchbearers as they carry the Scottish Flame to light the Ceremonial Cauldron. This is a free but ticketed event.
Seb Coe, Chair of the London 2012 Organising Committee, said: 'I’m thrilled that as we get closer to the start of the Paralympic Games we are seeing the Paralympic symbol appearing in cities across the UK. We hope this will continue to enthuse and inspire residents, athletes and spectators alike as they get ready to be part of the London 2012 Games.'
