the shocking arrival of the Olympic flame to France on a majestic sailboat

79 days before the opening ceremony of Paris 2024, the Olympic flame landed on French soil. The fire reached the port of Marseilles after having traveled from Greece in a bluff on board the Whitea majestic three-masted sailboat, and was received by about 150 thousand people, who attended a lavish ceremony to welcome her.

After spending the entire day along the Marseille coast, the sailboat – which spent twelve days on the high seas after leaving on April 26 from Piraeus, in Athens – entered the Old Port of that city, located on the Mediterranean Sea, at dusk. , to the beat of The marsellesaFrench national anthem, and accompanied by an impressive fireworks display.

Planes from the French air force flew over and drew the five Olympic rings in the sky and then the red, blue and white colors of the national flag. And it was the swimmer Florent Manaudouowner of four Olympic medals, including gold in the 50-meter freestyle London 2012who lowered the ship with the flame, around 7:30 p.m. local.

Manaudou, originally from Marseille, thus became the first torch relay in France and then handed the fire to the Paralympic athletics champion Nantenin Keitadaughter of the Malian musician Salif Keitawho in turn passed it on to a French rap star, the Marseille native Julto light the cauldron located in the same port.

“Paris 2024 chose an Olympic athlete and a Paralympic athlete for the arrival of the flame in Marseille to symbolize the ambition to bring together and unite the Olympic Games (which will be held from July 26 to August 11) and the Paralympians (from August 28 to September 8)”, stressed the Organization Committee.

Jul, who later sang on stage, was the surprise guest at the event, for which an important security device was deployed and which was attended by the president of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macronin the company of his wife Brigittey Tony Estanguetpresident of Paris 2024.

“With the arrival of the flame, the country opens to the Games,” Macron announced and hoped that Paris 2024 would spark “a moment of unity” in his nation.

“The return of the Games to our country will be a fantastic celebration. As a former athlete, I understand how important the start of a competition is. That is why we chose Marseille, because it is undoubtedly one of the cities most in love with sport” commented Estanguet, three-time Olympic canoe champion.

Greece had delivered the Olympic flame to France on April 26 in the Panatinaico Stadium from the center of Athenswhere the first Olympic Games of the Modern Era took place in 1896.

The lighting of the flame had occurred on April 16 in Olympiadin front of the 2,600-year-old ruins of the temple of Herafollowing an ancient ritual.

Before embarking on the Belem, a historic French ship built in 1896 and the oldest three-masted sailing ship in sailing condition in Europe, the Olympic fire had made a 5,000-kilometer journey through Greece, with 600 relief crews and visits to places emblematic like the Acropolis from Athens, where he spent a night next to the Parthenonand the sanctuary of Delphi y Marathon.

The relay of the flame across French territory began this Wednesday and will end on July 26 in Paris, at the end of the inauguration ceremony.

Until then, it will travel in the hands of 10,000 carriers to some 400 cities, across 65 regions. It will pass, for example, through the landing beaches of Normandyhe Monte Saint-Michellos Alpes and several tourist places Paris. And it will also visit six French overseas territories, such as Antillesthe island of Reunionthe Polynesia y New Caledonia.

The first relays, through the streets of Paris, will be led this Thursday by some important sports personalities such as basketball players Tony Parker o Nando de Colothe football players Didier Drogba, Jean Pierre Papin, Eric of Meco and the current captain of the Olympique de Marseille, Valentin RongierThe swimmers Fabien Gilot y Frédérick Bousquet and the fencer Pascale Trinquet-Hachin.

“It’s something we’ve been waiting for for a long time. One hundred years after the last ones, the Games are coming home,” said Estanguet.

With information from agencies.