In May 2024, 11,000 Torchbearers will form a relay to celebrate the arrival of the Olympic flame —and by association, the Olympic Games themselves —in France!
The flame arrived in Marseille on 8 May after completing its voyage from Greece across the Mediterranean, where the first set of Torchbearers received the flame to start a new journey across France and its overseas departments and regions.
As we build up to the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 on 26 July, Olympics.com will profile a selection of the Torchbearers each week. This week, we highlight the men and women representing the stages of the European Collectivity of Alsace, Moselle, and Haute-Marne.
Cloé is a high-level Para-equestrian rider who works every day to help others through her association, AMAE, founded in 2011. This initiative was born out of her own experience when she discovered the benefits that contact with horses and horse riding had on her own pathology. Between 300 and 400 people a year have the opportunity to take part in sessions at AMAE. The association has been awarded the “Impact 2024” label for its “rebuilding on horseback to rebuild” programme, specially designed for women who have suffered from violence. In addition to her commitment to the community, Cloé is actively preparing for the Paralympic Games Paris 2024.
Becoming an Olympic Torchbearer is an exceptional opportunity for Léo to highlight difference and inclusion at Paris 2024. Since his birth and following a heart operation linked to Down's syndrome, Léo has always been a fighter. This lively, smiling, competitive young man distinguished himself at the Special Olympics in France in 2023, winning the gold medal in table tennis with his team. Léo has been constantly supported by his family, nicknamed the “Tribe”, and those around him at every stage of his life. In addition to his table tennis, Léo has also excelled as an all-rounder in pétanque for the last two years.
Christophe has always been dedicated to helping others through sport, promoting the inclusion of people with disabilities and getting involved in various associations. He has a French state-approved qualification as a sailing instructor and works as a specialised educator for people with disabilities in Puellemontier. As a result, he has succeeded in rallying people around numerous projects combining sport and inclusion. These have included the Tour de France sailing race with a mixed crew and the construction of sailing boats with disabled people, generating sporting adventures that were both inclusive and innovative. Christophe then moved into the field of occupational health, focusing on the protection of employees, particularly those working in special environments. In 2016, he obtained a university degree in ergonomics and then became a trainer in the prevention of risks related to physical activity. In recognition of his involvement and action in occupational risk prevention, he was awarded the Bronze Medal in 2021 by French safety research institute INRS. Alongside his commitment to health in the workplace, Christophe chairs AS Seil (a sailboat association of the same name, founded in 1998) and organises long-lasting, friendly nautical get-togethers for sailing and rowing enthusiasts.
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