Estanguet Emotional As Olympic Torch Sets Sail For France
Muhammad Irfan Published April 27, 2024 | 04:10 PM
Piraeus, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Apr, 2024) The Olympic flame set sail on Saturday on its voyage to France on board the Belem, the Torch Relay reaching its climax at the revolutionary Paris Games opening ceremony along the river Seine on July 26.
"The feelings are so exceptional. It's such an emotion for me", Tony Estanguet, Paris Olympics chief organiser, told reporters before the departure of the ship from Piraeus.
He hailed the "great coincidence" how the Belem was launched just weeks after the first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens in 1896.
"These games mean a lot. It's been a centenary since the last time we organised the Olympic games in our country," he added.
The 19th-century three-masted boat set sail on a calm sea but under cloudy skies.
It was accompanied off the port of Piraeus by the trireme Olympias of the Greek Navy and 25 sailing boats while dozens of people watched behind railings for security reasons.
"We came here so that the children understand that the Olympic ideal was born in Greece. I'm really moved," Giorgos Kontopoulos, who watched the ship starting its voyage with his two children, told AFP.
On Sunday, the ship will pass from the Corinth Canal -- a feat of 19th century engineering constructed with the contribution of French banks and engineers.
- 'More responsible Games' -
The Belem is set to reach Marseille -- where a Greek colony was founded in around 600 BCE -- on May 8.
Over 1,000 vessels will accompany its approach to the harbour, local officials have said.
French swimmer Florent Manaudou will be the first torch bearer in Marseille. His sister Laure was the second torch bearer in ancient Olympia, where the flame was lit on April 16.
Ten thousand torchbearers will then carry the flame across 64 French territories.
It will travel through more than 450 towns and cities, and dozens of tourist attractions during its 12,000-kilometre (7,500-mile) journey through mainland France and overseas French territories in the Caribbean, Indian Ocean and Pacific.
It will then reach Paris and be the centre piece of the hugely imaginative and new approach to the Games opening ceremony.
Instead of the traditional approach of parading through the athletics stadium at the start of the Games, teams are set to sail down the Seine on a flotilla of boats in front of up to 500,000 spectators, including people watching from nearby buildings.
The torch harks back to the ancient Olympics when a sacred flame burned throughout the Games. The tradition was revived in 1936 for the Berlin Games.
Greece on Friday had handed over the Olympic flame of the 2024 Games, at a ceremony, to Estanguet.
Hellenic Olympic Committee chairman Spyros Capralos handed the torch to Estanguet at the Panathenaic Stadium, where the Olympics were held in 1896.
Estanguet said the goal for Paris was to organise "spectacular but also more responsible Games, which will contribute towards a more inclusive society."
Organisers want to ensure "the biggest event in the world plays an accelerating role in addressing the crucial questions of our time," said Estanguet, a member of France's Athens 2004 Olympics team who won gold in the slalom canoe event.
A duo of French champions, Beijing 2022 ice dance gold medallist Gabriella Papadakis and former swimmer Beatrice Hess, one of the most successful Paralympians in history, carried the flame during the final relay leg into the Panathenaic Stadium.
Nana Mouskouri, the 89-year-old Greek singer with a worldwide following, sang the French and Greek anthems at the ceremony.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
Pakistan , Ireland to lock horns in first T20I match tomorrow
Wings of Faith: 2160 Pakistani Hujjaj reach the Prophet's city to embark on spir ..
PTI founder Imran Khan globally famous leader: Alvi
Perpetrators of May 9 incidents to be brought to justice: PM
Samina Rahmat Manal's poetry collection "Mohabbat Fatih-e-Alam" launched
CM Bugti for more funds for minorities, women, marginalized communities
No one will be allowed to disrespect Shuhada: COAS
May 9, catastrophic incidents were conspiracy to disrupt country’s development ..
Chairman Senate condemns May 9 incident
Uzbekistan's Foreign Minister meets Bilawal Bhutto
Punjab CM Maryam visits Jinnah House in connection with May 9
NA speaker strongly condemns killing of 7 innocent workers in Gwadar
More Stories From World
-
Wings of Faith: 2160 Pakistani Hujjaj reach the Prophet's city to embark on spiritual journey
28 minutes ago -
Spanish court shelves Shakira tax fraud case
60 minutes ago -
CPEC helps Pakistan expand economic base, enhance regional connectivity over past decade: Ahsan Iqba ..
59 minutes ago -
Scientists win World Food Prize for work on Global Seed Vault
59 minutes ago -
Boeing passenger plane exits runway in Senegal injuring 11
3 hours ago -
Pakistan eyes green energy, technology cooperation with China in CPEC 2nd phase
3 hours ago
-
Charities warns Italy's ban on NGO planes risks lives
3 hours ago -
Israel hits Rafah despite US warning on arms transfers
3 hours ago -
Boeing plane leaves runway in Senegal injuring 11
3 hours ago -
Israel says Biden threat to stop arms 'very disappointing'
3 hours ago -
Marquez eyes French MotoGP victory but plays down title talk
5 hours ago -
Football: French Ligue 1 table
5 hours ago