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The flame will be ignited in a traditional ceremony in Olympia, Greece, before being transported by sea to Marseille on May 8, 2024 aboard the three-master Belem.
Paris Olympic organizers have revealed that a total of 10,000 torchbearers will carry the Olympic flame through 60 French departments in the lead-up to the 2024 Games.
The flame will be ignited in a traditional ceremony in Olympia, Greece, before being transported by sea to Marseille on May 8, 2024 aboard the three-master Belem.
From there, it will embark on a journey across France, culminating in the Olympic opening ceremony in the capital on July 26.
While there has been speculation about the Eiffel Tower being the flame's final destination, the organizing committee has yet to make a decision.
An interesting addition to the torch relay this time is the introduction of "collective relays." These relays will involve groups of up to 24 individuals, with one person carrying the torch.
Overall, there will be 3,000 collective and 7,000 individual torchbearers, including equal numbers of men and women aged 15 and over. Each torchbearer will have the honour of carrying the flame for approximately 4 minutes, covering a distance of 200 meters.
The selection process for torchbearers is divided among different entities.
One-third will be chosen by the organizing committee and sports bodies, another third by relay sponsors Coca-Cola and French bank BPCE, a further third by other Olympic partners, and the final 10 percent by the regions hosting the relay.
It's important to note that elected officials and religious figures are not allowed to carry the flame as per the International Olympic Committee's regulations.
While most French departments are eagerly participating in the torch relay, some have opted out due to the perceived high cost of 180,000 euros ($193,000).
However, stringent security measures will be in place to protect the flame throughout its journey, with the French gendarmes, police, and local security forces forming a protective "itinerant bubble" around it.
In addition to the Olympic torch relay, there will also be a Paralympic torch relay involving 1,000 torchbearers, which will arrive in Paris on August 28 for the opening of the Paralympic Games.
This relay will be relatively shorter in duration.
The torch relay holds great significance in Olympic history, with the record for the most torchbearers being 20,000 during the Beijing Summer Games in 2008.
The relay passed through 19 countries, covering a total distance of 85,000 miles over a 130-day journey.
In recent years, the torch relay for the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 was restricted from public thoroughfares due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the relay for the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing was reduced to three stages for the same reason.
During the London Olympics in 2012, a total of 8,000 individuals had the honour of carrying the Olympic flame.
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