Pontacq, labeled “Terre de Jeux 2024”, is committed to helping all volunteers experience the emotions of the Games and allow as many people as possible to experience the Olympic and Paralympic adventure.
On this Saturday, May 14, to support the 2024 Olympics and launch the “Terre de Jeux 2024” operation, the local municipality invited Jean-Pierre Garuet, local glory of French rugby and sponsor of this day. It also invited athletes of all ages to take part in badminton and volleyball tournaments in the Pierre Lacaze multipurpose hall. Jean-Noël Aguer, municipal councilor surrounded by deputies and other municipal councillors, began this sports meeting with a word of welcome, excused the absence of the mayor Didier Larrazabal, indicated that three events had been selected: on this day, the practice of a sport (badminton and volleyball); later, a conference-debate on sport (refereeing, competitions, doping, training, etc.); finally, sport and health for a large number of people with walking, hiking, cycling, etc. Finally, the municipality wanted to highlight two great Pontacquais sportsmen, Pierre Lacaze and Jean-Pierre Garuet.
“A Cathedral Pillar”
Jean-Noël Aguer retraced the career of Pierre Lacaze (1925-2014), high jumper, who crossed in his time 1.95 m while the French record was 1.96 m, who participated in the London Olympics, in Wembley, in 1948, finished 7th in the competition and who ended his sporting career playing basketball and rugby with the Papillons de Pontacq. Then, the chosen one detailed the career of Jean-Pierre Garuet, known as Garuche or The Professor, pillar of FC Lourdais from 1969 to 1991, of the French team from 1983 to 199O with 42 selections, who won the Grand Slam in 1987 and the tournament 3 times and who was named the best right pillar in the world twice, “a pillar of a cathedral” which held the building.
Before the start of the tournaments, a video was projected on a screen in the presence of Evelyne Toujas, born Lacaze and daughter of the former jumper; this video showed an interview with Pierre Lacaze filmed in 1912, two years before his death, in which the former jumper recounted his London Olympics in 1948, his injury in the final, his style of jumping with the Californian roller, the jumper covered with sand, his disappointment, because he could have been on the podium.
The various tournaments allowed the athletes to spend a nice afternoon.
