26 July 2024 - The Olympic Torch Relay moved ever closer to the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 today. With the help of a group of Olympic legends, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) President and distinguished guests carried the Olympic flame through the Olympic Village – a strong demonstration of peace and solidarity from the home of the athletes from the territories of all 206 National Olympic Committees (NOCs).
Athletes lined the streets in the Village and cheered on as the flame was carried by IOC President Thomas Bach, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, and former UN Secretary-General and Chair of the IOC Ethics Commission Ban Ki-moon.
They join an illustrious list of around 10,000 torchbearers – including French Olympians, sporting legends and others selected for their positive impact on French society – who have participated in the relay during its epic 69-day journey across France and its overseas territories.
It's always an emotional moment to run with the torch, but to do it in the Olympic Village and amongst all the athletes, this really goes straight to my heart, It is, for me, the most moving experience I ever had with the torch relay. Here, in the heart of the Games, in the Olympic Village, it is a great moment to see all the athletes excited and getting ready for the competitions.
Thomas Bach, IOC President
Commenting on the number of athletes present to cheer the relay, Bach added: “This shows the fascination the Olympic flame has. And it also shows the commitment of the athletes to the Olympic values, because this flame, this torch, is a demonstration of our values. And seeing the athletes rallying behind these values and rallying behind this call for peace, which is coming from these Olympic Games, is really a great Olympic moment.”
After carrying the Olympic flame in the Athletes Village, IOC President Thomas Bach passes the flame to Emma Terho, Chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission.#OlympicGames #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/FAwBlcLXCl
— IOC MEDIA (@iocmedia) July 26, 2024
President Bach received the flame from French Olympic handball champion Cléopâtre Darleux Mingam and fellow runner, IOC member and member of the IOC Refugee Olympic Team Rio 2026 and Tokyo 2020, Yiech Pur Biel. Bach then handed it over to IOC Athletes’ Commission (AC) Chair Emma Terho.
Olympic legends and IOC Athletes’ Commission members carry the flame
A group of Olympic legends joined the moment, taking part in the relay in the Olympic Village alongside IOC Member Kirsty Coventry and several members of the IOC AC, including Chef de Mission of the IOC Refugee Olympic Team (EOR) for Paris 2024, Masomah Ali Zada.
Olympians in the relay included:
- Fabian Cancellara (Switzerland), road cycling – Olympic champion at Beijing 2008 and Rio 2016
- Santiago Lange (Argentina), sailing – Olympic champion at Rio 2016, bronze medallist at Athens 2004
- Lin Dan (China), badminton – Olympic champion at Beijing 2008 and London 2012
- Chris Hoy (Great Britain), track cycling – Olympic champion at Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 and London 2012, silver medallist at Sydney 2000
- Jingyu Wu (China), taekwondo – Olympic champion at Beijing 2008 and London 2012
- Lindsey Vonn (USA), Alpine skiing – Olympic champion and bronze medallist at Vancouver 2010, bronze medallist at PyeongChang 2018
- Hicham El Guerrouj (Morocco), athletics – Olympic champion at Athens 2004, silver medallist at Sydney 2000
- Kirsty Coventry (Zimbabwe), swimming – Olympic champion, silver medallist and bronze medallist at Athens 2004, Olympic champion and silver medallist at Beijing 2008;
- Cléopâtre Darleux Mingam (France), handball - Olympic champion at Tokyo 2020
- Yiech Pur Biel (EOR), athletics
- Emma Terho (Finland), ice hockey – bronze medallist at Nagano 1998 and Vancouver 2010
- Pau Gasol (Spain), basketball – silver medallist at Beijing 2008 and London 2012, bronze medallist at Rio 2016
- Maja Włoszczowska (Poland), cycling (mountain bike) – silver medallist at Beijing 2008 and Rio 2016
- Yuki Ota (Japan), fencing – silver medallist at London 2012 and Rio 2016
- Humphrey Kayange (Kenya), rugby
- Hong Zhang (China), speed skating – Olympic champion at Sochi 2014
- Frida Hansdotter (Sweden), Alpine skiing - Olympic champion at PyeongChang 2018
- Masomah Ali Zada (EOR), cycling
- Oluseyi Smith (Canada), athletics
The relay route then continued through the department of Saint-Seine-Denis.
The torch, which was lit in Olympia, Greece, on 16 April and arrived in France on 8 May, will complete its journey during this evening’s historic Opening Ceremony on the River Seine, before the lighting of the Olympic cauldron to signal the opening of the Games.
About the Olympic Torch Relay
Since arriving by boat in Marseille, the Olympic flame has visited more than 450 towns and cities across 65 regions in France, as well as six overseas territories: Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, French Polynesia, Réunion and New Caledonia. A symbol of unity and peace, the Olympic Torch Relay has travelled to some of the most iconic French landmarks and shined a spotlight on the provinces of France, while engaging sports clubs and local people with the Olympic Games.
The Olympic flame, representing peace, unity, and friendship among nations, symbolises the coming and the start of the Games. It unites all who gather to witness its journey, alongside the thousands of torchbearers who are honoured to carry it.
