Thomas Siniecki, Media365: published on Tuesday, August 27, 2024 at 11:46 p.m.
On the eve of the long-awaited launch, the twelve torches (like the number of days of competition) are at the gates of the capital.
The opening ceremony awaits its Paralympic flame, which is slowly approaching Paris and the Place de la Concorde on the eve of the big event. Tuesday was the day dedicated to the Ile-de-France region and its seven departments, all crossed by this new Torch Relay that brings the magic of Paris 2024 back to life throughout the territory.
“Our town of Vaucresson allows the education of children with disabilities, we are very sensitive to that”
First in Seine-Saint-Denis, where parajudoka Sandrine Martinet (gold medalist in Rio in 2016) lit the final cauldron in Bobigny, after stops in Montfermeil, Livry-Gargan, Clichy-sous-Bois, Sevran, Epinay-sur-Seine, Villetaneuse, Pré-Saint-Gervais and Pantin. But also in Val-d’Oise in Louvres, Cergy and La Roche-Guyon; in Seine-et-Marne in Trilport or Fontainebleau; in Val-de-Marne in Sucy-en-Brie and Valenton; in Hauts-de-Seine in Garches, Vaucresson and Saint-Cloud; in Essonne in Grigny; in Yvelines in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines or Houdan. Among the many Olympic and Paralympic names in this Torch Relay, Pascal Donnadieu notably caught up in Hauts-de-Seine, because as assistant coach to Vincent Collet, he was caught up last month in the preparation of the Olympic basketball Blues a stone’s throw from Paris 2024.
Claire and Patricia, two residents of Vaucresson, took full advantage of this final catch-up session (for Le Parisien): “We wanted to get as close as possible to the flame! Our city allows the teaching of children with disabilities, we are very sensitive to that and we hear a lot about the Olympic Games, less about the Paralympics, that’s why we are here. And also because it’s a party!” In Saint-Cloud, para fencer Robert Citerne lit the flame with Los Angeles 2028 in his sights, even though he will be… 67 years old. This would be his ninth Games, he who has won a total of eleven medals (one individual title in 1988, the other six team titles up to 2016, including four gold).
