“Through the Olympics, it is the values ​​of France which are in the spotlight”, believes the president of the University of Nîmes

Le président de l'université de Nîmes et Juliette Charmillot feront partie des “éclaireurs” de la flamme olympique. Université de Nîmes – David Andrieu

Benoît Roig et Juliette Charmillot, étudiante à Nîmes, feront partie des "éclaireurs" lors du passage de la flamme olympique dans la région, le 15 mai prochain.

"From the Olympic Games to Paris, we are not sure we will see them again in our lifetime. There, we have a unique opportunity to contribute, at our level, to this exceptional meeting." In the office of the president of the University of Nîmes, Benoît Roig and Juliette Charmillot do not hide their emotion. Thanks to a partnership with the Banque populaire du Sud, they will represent their establishment during the passing of the Olympic flame.

Transmission of knowledge

The date is already engraved in their memory: May 15, 2024. The location? Perpignan."We are on a journey where the theme will be the transmission of knowledge. Eleven schools or universities in the region were invited to run with an athlete on one end of the course. " Alongside the head of the establishment Benoît Roig, Juliette Charmillot, 25 years old , was nominated by her comrades in the Staps sector. "I am very honored, it’s a lot of emotion", admits the young woman, who highlights "the very strong energy communicated by the Olympic Games".

This trained dancer, currently retraining in Staps, specialty Adapted physical activity and health, knows only too well how the values ​​of sport can permeate daily life and how physical activity is essential:"The idea of ​​an adapted activity is really to be able, faced with pathologies or particularities such as a wheelchair, to make an activity accessible. We can work very well in complementarity with a physiotherapist, explains Juliette. Who would like the Paralympic Games and the performances of the athletes who participate in them to be better valued: "When I see that the places for these competitions are not selling, I’ admits not understanding…", breathes this accomplished sportswoman.

"Valuing sport in the construction of the student"

That the University of Nîmes is associated with this passing of the Olympic flame is no coincidence. "We have had the Generation 2024 label since 2021",recalls Benoît Roig. "For three years, we have been organizing activities around this event", supports the president, thus citing, in the coming weeks, the "University Olympics on April 11, organized by the Staps, but also the Olympic Days, next June 21 and 22, where between 300 and 500 children Gard residents will be able to participate in around twenty workshops. On Saturday, an Olympic village will be open to all".

A team from Nîmes in the Dance of the Games competition

There are a dozen of them à having participated in &agrav; the call à projects of the French University Sport Federation, Let's dance towards 2024. On a choreography by Anne-Lise Taibi, head of the UET sports practice dance, their video was therefore released. selected and these students from Nîmes will therefore find themselves at the same time. Paris, with other establishments in France, to participate around May 15 in a week of workshops. Before, of course, the big meeting of the Olympic Games! Deployé as part of the Legacy Plan for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games of the French university sports federation, this call for support will be given to This annual project aims to engage students in the Olympic and Paralympic dynamics through choreographic creations linked to these themes.

For this scrum half trained in Narbonne and who wore the colors of the RCN for several seasons (Nîmes captain from 1999 to 2001), "valorizing sport in the construction of the’ student" are not empty words. As for running near the flame, "symbolically, it’s a very strong moment. Even if we don't like sport, through the Olympic Games, it is the values ​​of France that are in the spotlight, defends Benoît Roig. Who, remembering the long jump duel between Carl Lewis and Mike Powell in 1991, the Usain Bolt rocket, the giant David Douillet, or even the resounding triumph of French team sports in Tokyo in 2021, believes that in France , "we are not sufficiently proud of our sporting values, of our performances".

Performances that the two "scouts" of the Olympic flame will follow very very closely this summer…

I subscribe to read more