the essential
The Olympic flame which is preparing to cross France in the coming weeks will have a strong Tarn accent: no less than 4 Castreses will carry it along the route. Latest: Miriem, 16 years old.
She is a sportswoman and a enthusiast who will represent a little bit of Castres by carrying the Olympic flame on May 15. However, it will not be near us, the flame will not pass through the Tarn, but at Font Romeu, at altitude.
Because Miriem Amar Ou Ali, almost 17 years old, is studying there. She is there in the ice hockey sports study section. A sport she has been practicing since she was old enough to stand up. “I started at three years old! I first played with the Castres team, then I went to play in Toulouse, and finally, in sports studies at Font Romeu.” Miriem also played within the Rafales, the Occitanie team.
Sport study and SNU
His dad runs the mall’s pastry shop. She was educated at the Jean-Marc Buteau school and at the Jean Monnet college. Seeing her carry the flame is almost a logical continuation of her journey, believes her mother: “when we saw the call for applications go out, we saw that the sporting aspects but also the citizenship aspects were important. His profile !” Because in addition to being in sports studies, Miriem participated, in 2023, in the SNU, the Universal National Service. “It was great,” says the young girl. “We went hiking, discovered the army…”
So many assets which allowed Miriem to be selected to carry the Olympic flame. “It’s once in a lifetime,” enthuses the hockey player. “It’s going to be magical, incredible!”
In his family, the Olympic Games are serious. The mother remembers: “We watch the Olympics. Everything that is on television, all the events. It’s important in our family.” So obviously, everyone is very proud of Miriem. Who doesn’t worry at all. “You have to have fun doing this relay!” A relay that she will carry out alongside anonymous people like herself, but also high-level athletes, such as the freestyle ski champion Perinne Lafont or the handball player Ludovic Fabregas.
For the record, Miriem will celebrate her 17th birthday on the very day of the opening of the Games.
Castres in force to carry the flame
With Miriem, that makes 4 Castres who will carry the Olympic flame. Because in addition to the young girl, who will be a torchbearer in the Eastern Pyrenees, there is also Fabien Paslier, the manager of two supermarkets in the city center, who will participate in Aude, but also Michel Gervais, 36 years old, who will carry the flame in the Var where he resides. This is for the “amateurs”. Because the 4th Castraise will be Safi N’diaye, rugbywoman with 91 caps with the French team. She will be in downtown Montpellier in a few weeks.
The passage of the flame in the south of France will therefore have a beautiful southern Tarnais accent!
