The Olympic flame of the Paris 2024 Games arrived on French soil this Wednesday after disembarking in the port of Marseille after having traveled from Greece aboard the Belem (Ship), a sailboat with more than a century of history.
The French swimmer Florent Manaudou , holder of four Olympic medals, including a gold in the 50 meters freestyle in London-2012, was in charge of lowering the torch with the flame from the boat, thus beginning a tour throughout France, overseas territories included, until the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games on July 26.
Florent Manaudou , originally from Marseille, started the flame relay, passing the fire to the Paralympic athletics champion, Nantenin Keita, daughter of the Malian musician Salif Keita and who later gave it to a French rap star, the Marseille-born Jul, which lit the cauldron located in the same port.
Paris-2024 has chosen two athletes, one Olympic and one Paralympic, for the arrival of the flame in Marseille . This first relay on French soil symbolizes the ambition to bring closer and unite the Olympic Games (July 26-August 11) and the Paralympics (August 28-September 8)”, stressed the Organization Committee.
The French singer and rapper Jul was the surprise guest at the flame’s disembarkation ceremony, which was attended by the president of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, in the company of his wife Brigitte. Next to them was Tony Estanguet, president of the Paris-2024 Organization Committee.
Macron highlighted that the event had been “a tremendous success” and hoped that the Games would spark “a moment of unity” in his country.
Les Jeux entrent dans la vie des Français ! pic.twitter.com/OLbeZXijzt
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) May 8, 2024
