She’s getting closer! Embarked aboard the Belem on April 27 from Athens, the Olympic flame will complete its journey and arrive on French soil in Marseille on Wednesday May 8. While the city of Marseille prepares and organizes the festivities, the veil is gradually lifted on the unfolding of this symbolic day on the road to Paris 2024. Nautical parade, air show of the Patrol of France, passage to the Vélodrome stadium… The The device put in place for the flame’s journey was revealed at the start of the week. But we also now know the identity of the porters the next day, Thursday May 9.
Soprano and Redouane Bougheraba present
If Florent Manaudou had already been confirmed by Paris 2024 as being the first torchbearer on French soil, his successors will be around thirty in the streets of Marseille, among personalities, individuals and high-level athletes. The day after the lighting of the cauldron in the Old Port by the quadruple Olympic swimming medalist, Thursday May 9 will be marked by a long relay.
Among the celebrities not from the sporting world, we find three personalities from Marseille: the rappers Soprano and Alonzo, who will have given a special concert for the event the day before, the three-star chef Alexandre Mazzia, but also the comedian Redouane Bougheraba , recently the source of tensions linked to the tifo with his image deployed by the ultras of OM before the match against PSG. TV host Camille Combal, actress and comedian Nicole Ferroni and screenwriter of the series “Vestiaires” Adda Abdelli will also carry the flame.
Four OM legends
Big names in French sport will also be involved, starting with former basketball player Tony Parker, who will be accompanied by his former partner in the French team Nando De Colo. The main focus will be on Marseille sport, since OM captain Valentin Rongier will be present, as will Didier Drogba, Basile Boli, Jean-Pierre Papin and Éric Di Meco, former legends of the club.
Didier Drogba could be the lucky one who, as the last torchbearer in the Marseille city, will light the cauldron at the end of the day (around 7:20 p.m.) at the Stade Vélodrome. Basile Boli, for his part, would open the ball at the very start of the day.
Natives of the city of Bouches-du-Rhône, ex-footballer Louisa Necib, Olympic fencing champion Pascale Trinquet-Hachin and skateboarder Vincent Matheron will also be on the course. The representation of aquatic sports will be provided by Frédérick Bousquet and Fabien Gilot, both from the Cercle des nageurs de Marseille, but also by Denis Gargaud Chanut, Olympic canoe-kayak slalom champion in 2016 and licensed to the Marseille Mazargues Club.
Silver medalist at the 1998 Winter Olympics, skier Sébastien Foucras will accompany Anouk Garnier, obstacle course champion and ambassador of the Paris 2024 Volunteers program. Finally, we will also have to watch for the passage of Colette Cataldo, aged 82 years and supporter of OM for more than 60 years, which heralds a moment full of emotions!
