Refugee Olympic Team cyclist carries the Olympic flame
Cyclist Eyeru Gebru, a member of the IOC Refugee Olympic Team for Paris 2024, has carried the Olympic torch in the historic town of Bayeux in Normandy, France. Eyeru was nominated to take part in the Torch Relay by the Department of Calvados, which will host the team’s Welcome Event in Caen and Bayeux in July, shortly before the start of the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
Eyeru began her leg of the Torch Relay next to the Tree of Liberty, a powerful symbol of freedom in the French town. Bayeux has a long-standing history of supporting refugees and a connection with those affected by war, due to its significant role during World War II.
Having first ridden a bike in her native Ethiopia aged 16, Eyeru achieved second place in both the time trial and road races in the National Championships. When war broke out in her home country, she was forced to seek refuge in France and stop her cycling career.
Thanks to the support of the French National Olympic and Sports Committee, the UCI and the Olympic Refuge Foundation, Eyeru became a Refugee Athlete Scholarship-holder, and was therefore able to revive her sporting career. On 2 May, she was officially announced as a member of the Refugee Olympic Team for Paris 2024. In spite of the hurdles she has had to overcome, she credits cycling with saving her life.
On carrying the torch, she said: “I never expected in my life that one day I would carry the Olympic torch. I thought it was too big for me. It's unbelievable, and I am so happy and excited about this big moment of my life.”
"With this great experience and best moment of my life on being selected to carry the Olympic torch, I am super motivated to perform at my very best at the Olympic Games. It will give me extra energy, and I am looking forward to it." - Eyeru Gebru, Member of the IOC Refugee Olympic Team for Paris 2024
She added: “With this great experience and best moment of my life on being selected to carry the Olympic torch, I am super motivated to perform at my very best at the Olympic Games. It will give me extra energy, and I am looking forward to it.”
Eyeru is one of the 36 athletes who will compete in Paris as part of the IOC Refugee Olympic Team. Hosted by 15 National Olympic Committees and competing across 12 sports, the athletes represent the more than 100 million forcibly displaced people worldwide. The team is managed by the Olympic Refuge Foundation, which, in addition to the Refugee Olympic Team, supports young people affected by displacement across the globe in finding belonging and improving their mental health and well-being through sport.