Mathias Chatrefou

Mathias Chatrefou will carry the Olympic Torch. This is his story:

The Olympics and its values have always been at the heart of Mathias’s life. Whether in is private life, professional career or sporting pursuits, excellence has always been his guide. The notions of team spirit and surpassing oneself are the fruit of many years participating in sport, propelling him to the highest summits in the world.

On 26th July 1996, Mathias entered the Guinness Book of Records as the youngest mountaineer to climb a 7,000-metre peak (Nun 7,135 m), reinforcing his desire to share his passions and pass on the torch to others. After two expeditions to altitudes of more than 8,000 metres, he decided to set up a mountaineering and climbing club, Destination Altitude, which he chaired for 13 years before taking charge of the French Federation of Mountaineering and Climbing’s territorial committee in Seine-et-Marne.

On 26th July 2012, his professional dream came true when he joined the Olympic family by becoming director of the Paris Olympic and Sports Committee. This position gave him the opportunity to meet extraordinary volunteers and promote the values of the Olympics, as he had always wanted to do. The date of 26th July is one that has marked his whole life, bringing together his dreams and aspirations.

A further example of this will be 26th July 2024 with the opening of the Olympic Games in Paris, which is the culmination of a lifetime dedication to sport. Mathias is proud to carry the Olympic Torch, a universal symbol of friendship and peace.