Julienne Soury

Julienne Soury will carry the Olympic torch. This is her story:

Born in 1916, Julienne is in Olympic-level shape approaching her 108th birthday. With a smile on her face and empathy on her mind, she supports fellow residents at her care home and encourages them to step out of their rooms, move around and stay active.

As the eldest member of the establishment, Julienne is a source of inspiration, even to the professionals who work there. Her routine of cycling for miles to visit family or hit the dance floor could be a powerful illustration of the role physical activity plays in healthy ageing. Julienne could stand as a shining example of positive ageing and embody the intergenerational values of Olympism.

Julienne is also a representative of a whole generation of unsung athletes who used to walk mile after mile to go to school, ride mile after mile to dance at village fêtes, call upon every muscle in their bodies to work on their farms, carry heavy bundles of laundry to the washhouse… Selecting Julienne as an Olympic torchbearer is a nod to all the extraordinary characters we meet in care homes. People such as Robert, 98 years old, who is learning to walk with a prosthetic following an amputation; Suzanne, who skied until nearly 80; Antonio, who cycled around France…