Martin Lange, edited by Philippe Folgado // Photo credit: Attila KISBENEDEK / AFP
The Olympic flame is in the hands of the French delegation from Paris 2024. At the end of a symbolic ceremony in Athens, the torch was handed over to Tony Estanguet. She will head to Marseille, aboard the Belem, where she is due to arrive on May 8. Florent Manaudou will be the first flame bearer when getting off the boat.
The Olympic flame will soon arrive in France. After a symbolic ceremony in Athens, the Olympic torch was handed over to Tony Estanguet, president of the organizing committee for these Paris 2024 Games. This Saturday, it will board the Belem to head to Marseille where it will arrive on May 8th.
Florent Manaudou, an “obvious” choice, according to Tony Estanguet
On the occasion of this ceremony, the name of the first bearer of the flame on French soil was revealed: it will be Florent Manaudou, an obvious choice for Tony Estanguet: “It was obvious for us that the flame would return in France in the hands of an Olympian, one of the most emblematic of his generation”.
As a reminder, Florent Manaudou won four Olympic medals during three consecutive Olympics in “a key discipline at the Games”, swimming. “Everyone remembers the incredible victory in London in 2012 of this 21-year-old young man, crowned Olympic champion.”
The choice of Florent Manaudou is all the more symbolic as his sister, Laure, participated in the ceremony of lighting the flame, during a ceremony in Olympia, Greece, ten days ago: ” First French bearer in Greece, first bearer of the flame in France What luck to have one of the most legendary siblings in French sport for this wonderful adventure!”, says the president of the Games organizing committee.