Paris 2024 Olympic Games: 14 young French people will accompany the Olympic Flame aboard the Belem

With an arrival planned in the Phocaean city on May 8 by sea, the Olympic Flame will be well guarded during its crossing of the Mediterranean. On board the Belem to connect the port of Piraeus in Athens to that of the Prado, 14 young people aged 16 to 24 were selected by the regional Savings Banks to join the professional crew led by Aymeric Gibet, captain of the Belem since 2016 and accompany the Olympic Flame during its crossing of the Mediterranean.

To carry out this selection, throughout 2023 an integration program with the Belem Caisse d'Épargne Foundation was carried out. On this occasion, 300 young members of associative structures supporting social and professional integration in mainland France and overseas were able to embark on the Belem for a few days to take part in navigation courses.

Tony Estanguet warmly welcomed this initiative. “The crossing of the Mediterranean on the Belem will be a historic moment of the Paris 2024 Games. We thank Caisse d'Épargne, one of the Sponsors of the Torch Relay, for allowing us to create this highlight aboard the one of the oldest French ships and to associate it with a meaningful initiative with youth at the heart of the project. This crossing will be an opportunity to highlight these 14 young people who will have the pride of accompanying the Flame at sea and taking the Games to France! We wish them to enjoy this unique human adventure immersed in the crew, with their sights set on a magnificent party upon their arrival in Marseille. It’s the adventure of a lifetime!”