THE SPORTS SCAN – France Télévisions has revealed a sequence during which the head of the Paris Olympics revealed to the two legends of French sport that they will light the Olympic cauldron. Emotions guaranteed.
Paris 2024 managed to keep the secret until the end. Hundreds of millions of viewers learned live in front of their television sets the identity of the champions chosen to light the Olympic cauldron at the closing of the opening ceremony. Marie-José Pérec and Teddy Riner learned on the morning of the event that they had been chosen by Tony Estanguet and his teams.
It was the boss of Paris 2024 who himself called the judoka. The cameras of France Télévisions were there to immortalize the sequence. “Tonight the weather is not going to be very nice but I’m going to need you to make this ceremony shine.”Estanguet explained to the tatami giant still in his bed. “Tell me, what is my role?” Riner answers him. “You will be the male athlete who will be responsible for lighting the cauldron of Paris 2024”Estanguet continued. “With whom ?” The five-time Olympic champion immediately interrupted him, and he would not know any more. “I don’t have the right to know? The bastard”jokes the judoka promising to “shut your mouth” to keep the secret until the end.
Perec in tears from the start of Estanguet’s appeal
A few moments later, Tony Estanguet called Marie-José Pérec to tell her the good news. On the other end of the line. The Guadeloupean pauses, overcome with emotion. In tears, the triple Olympic champion answers “I don’t know how to thank you. It makes me so happy, you have no idea.”said the former queen of the track lap, addressing a visibly moved Tony Estanguet.
“These are quite magical moments that mark the ceremonies of the Games and I absolutely wanted there to be an element of surprise, suspense and confidentiality and I wanted to warn those concerned as late as possible because that gave me a better chance of keeping the secret until the end.”explained Estanguet on the set of the Paralympic Games on France TV after the broadcast of the sequence taken from the documentary At the Heart of the Games which will be broadcast on Tuesday evening on the public service.
