Paris 2024: The Olympic flame lit up the week of Marie-Cath, Florette and Clément

Les porteurs ont apprécié l'énorme ferveur de la foule et une ambiance incroyable lors de leur passage de relais.. DR

La présidente de France choroïdérémie de Saint-André, l’haltérophile de Clermont et l’arbitre de hand de Lodève ont vécu un moment inoubliable à Sète, Montpellier et Narbonne.

Florette, Marie-Catherine and Clément experienced a special week, which they will not soon forget. The pharmacist president of France choroideremia from Saint-André-de-Sangonis, the international weightlifter high school student from Clermont-l’Hérault and the national handball referee engineer from Lodève were in fact among the flame bearers in Sète, Montpellier and Narbonne.

"A lot of pride"

"If you're here, it's because you deserve it. Enjoy! The organization made us feel comfortable on the bus that took us to the corniche" smiles Marie-Catherine Grès-Faure who was under a little pressure before grabbing the torch between slackline champion Salomé Cholet and volleyball player Benjamin Toniutti. First to take to the track on Monday May 13 in Sète, she swapped her green association jersey for the Paris 2024 scout outfit to run 200 meters. 

200 unforgettable meters on the Corniche de Sète for Marie-Catherine. DR

"I was crazy from start to finish, it was difficult to do otherwise with the atmosphere and the relay passed very quickly but I was able to enjoy it before and after with my loved ones&quot ; added Marie-Cath. "I’took two little teddy bears with a blindfold, our mascot, one in my hair and one on me who accompanied me on the course." An unforgettable day for the president before immersing herself again in the’ organization of the 4th international congress of choroideremia hosted by Montpellier this Saturday, May 18.

The young weightlifter Florette Degez dreams of one day competing in the Olympic Games, as Gaëlle Nayo-Ketchanke did twice with her Clermont Sports club. The 15-year-old high school student had a taste in a boiling Philippidès stadium in Montpellier on the afternoon of May 13.

Florette carried the flame 100 meters into the Philippidès stadium in Montpellier. DR

"We applied with a few athletes from the club to the Weightlifting League. There are five of us who were selected to be in the stadium and I had the chance to run with the flame, as a young Olympic junior over 100 meters" indicates Florette who flew this Thursday to Peru with the French team to compete in the U17 world championship. "The pressure is mounting as the minutes passed in front of the full stand with many children, people from all over the world, the mayors of Paris and Montpellier. I thought about respecting the scenario that we had rehearsed. It was incredible to carry the flame in this atmosphere, in front of my loved ones. I was very proud."

Clément Combes savored over 200 meters in the streets of Narbonne. DR

"Extraordinary, incredible and unforgettable". Clément Combes was also amazed, in Narbonne this Thursday, May 16. "There was enormous fervor among the crowd of anonymous people at the side of the road who send you positive energy. It feels really good" explains Clément who ran 200 meters with the flame in hand in front of his parents and friends who came to see him. "Being at the center of the event provides great emotion, pressure too, but everything was very well organized in terms of organization".< /em> An emotion that the Lodévois will not soon forget. "I applied because I share the values ​​of peace, fraternity that Olympism conveys. To also wear the colors of the handball community, my ACL club and the City of Lodève."