In Summary
- Manaudou will receive the Olympic flame and carry it to the Olympic Torch Relay cauldron, where it will be lit
- He shocked the swimming world by winning the 50m freestyle title at London 2012
The Olympic flame for the Olympic Games Paris 2024 will arrive on French soil on Wednesday 8 May
When the Olympic torch arrives in the historic port of Marseille, Olympic medallist Florent Manaudou will have the honour of being the first Torchbearer in France for Paris 2024.
Other stars to take part in the parade, which continues in Marseille on Thursday, include NBA-winning basketball player Tony Parker and Ivory Coast football great Didier Drogba, as well as charity and entertainment figures.
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Who is Florent Manaudou?
Florent Manaudou is a 33-year-old swimmer and four-time Olympic medallist.
As a 21-year-old, the Frenchman shocked the swimming world by winning the 50m freestyle title at London 2012
Four years later at Rio 2016 He won silver in the 50m freestyle and silver in the 4x100m freestyle relay.
After taking a break to compete for the Aix-en-Provence handball team, Florent returned to the pool at Tokyo 2020 and scooped silver in 50m freestyle.
As well as his Olympic medals, the swimming star is also an eight-time world champion and 11-time European champion.
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First Torchbearer in France
His sister, also a world and European champion, was the first French Torchbearer for Paris 2024 after the Olympic Flame was lit in Olympia , Greece on 16 April.
“I’m delighted to be the first Torchbearer in France,” said Manaudou. “Carrying the flame after my sister, who has already had this honour at Olympia in Greece, and doing it in a city to which I am very attached, Marseille, means all the more to me.
“I can’t wait to be in the Vieux Port and celebrate with the public the return of the Games to France after one hundred years!”
The Paris Olympics will run from July 26-August 11, followed by the Paralympics from August 28-September 8.
