Matthew Gibb

Matthew Gibb will carry the Olympic Torch. This is his story:

Matthew discovered his passion for running at the Calgary Winter Olympic Games in 1988, when he was selected to be an Olympic Torchbearer and run with it at the age of 11 years old. He felt a great sense of pride that day as he carried the flame near Montreal. This experience marked a turning point in his life, encouraging him to go on to run longer and longer distances. While at university, he even ran for 24 hours non-stop to raise public awareness of the local library for the visually impaired. As a leader of an athletics team, he has shared his love of running with generations of young athletes.

Today, Matthew has run 75 marathons throughout the world. For him, running is more than just a simple means of exercise: it is a way of meeting new people, discovering new landscapes and immersing himself in different sporting cultures. He believes that it is when he is running that he gives his best. Matthew now lives in France and has obtained French citizenship, taking part in running in the countryside of Normandy. The Calgary Olympic Games were the starting point of a lifelong passion for Matthew. Being able to share this experience with his family and his community in France 35 years later is a very meaningful experience for him.