The Olympic torch arrived in France on Wednesday, with a highly choreographed ceremony and 150,000 spectators marking the first major test for organizers and security forces ahead of the 2024 Paris Games.
The transfer of the torch ashore at the southern port of Marseille will mark the beginning of a 12,000-kilometre (7,500-mile) torch relay across France and far-flung overseas territories.
Under bright skies and calm seas, the torch-carrying ship Belém was spotted off the coast of Marseille early Wednesday morning.
Organizers hope the first public show, just 79 days after the tournament opens, will help build excitement after a painful controversy over ticket prices and safety concerns.
“This is something we've been waiting for for a very long time,” chief organizer Tony Estanguet said on Monday, noting 100 years since Paris last hosted the Olympics. . “The game is coming back.”
France, which was also the host nation in 1900, has considered itself the center of the modern Olympic movement since French aristocrat Pierre de Coubertin revived the Olympic concept practiced by the Greeks until the 4th century BC. I am considering it.
After the coronavirus-ravaged Tokyo 2021 Games and the corruption-plagued 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, the Paris Olympics are seen as a key moment for the sporting festival.
When the torch was handed over on Wednesday evening from the 19th-century French sailing ship Belém, which made the 12-day journey from Greece, the public was no doubt excited.
Marseille Mayor Benoît Payen promised ahead of the ceremony: “We intend to be beautiful, grand, modest and accessible at the same time,” adding that Marseille's gritty port town was founded in 600 B.C. he said, recalling how it was founded by Greek merchants.
– “Beautiful and magnificent” –
More than 1,000 other boats will accompany the Belém as it approaches the port, and organizers hope around 150,000 people will watch the torch land at Marseille's marina, where sailing competitions will be held during the Olympics. I expect it to be.
Fireworks and a free concert conclude the show, which will be broadcast live on French television.
By way of background, about 6,000 security forces are to be on duty at a time when the country is on the highest terrorist alert.
Regional Police Coordinator Cedric Esson told reporters on Monday: “It is completely unprecedented for the National Police to mobilize so many personnel on the same day and in the same location.”
The honor of being the first torchbearer will go to four-time Olympic medal-winning swimmer Florent Manaudou.
Other stars taking part in the parade, which continues in Marseille on Thursday, include NBA champion basketball player Tony Parker and Ivorian soccer great Didier Drogba, as well as some of the biggest names in philanthropy and entertainment.
A beach cleaning charity boycotted the ceremony in protest at Olympic sponsor Coca-Cola, but soccer legend Zinedine Zidane, the son of Marseille's most famous athlete, is not scheduled to appear.
– Opening ceremony –
Tight security will be in place at all times as the torch passes through more than 450 towns and cities in France and dozens of tourist attractions, including Mont Saint-Michel.
About 200 security forces, including anti-terrorism SWAT teams and anti-drone operatives, will be stationed around it.
Interior Minister Gerard Darmanin cited the risk of protests by far-left groups and environmental activists such as Extinction Rebellion.
Organizers have promised a “spectacular” and “symbolic” Olympics, with much of the sport scheduled to take place at temporary venues around the City of Lights, including the Eiffel Tower and Les Invalides.
The opening ceremony will be held on a boat on the Seine, in a marked departure from past tournaments that started at the main stadium, as there are no concerns about security concerns.
All major infrastructure has been completed, with only two new permanent sports venues built to reduce the financial costs and carbon footprint of the global festival.
The idea of a torch rally is reminiscent of the ancient Olympics, where a sacred fire was kept burning throughout the games.
The Paris Olympics will be held from July 26th to August 11th, and the Paralympic Games will be held from August 28th to September 8th.
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