A few days before the arrival of the Olympic flame in Marseille, on May 8, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra gave an extensive interview to West France. In the part of the interview published below, she notably reveals the details of the five collective relays organized by the State: around Europe in Marseille on May 9; around 80e anniversary of the landing in the English Channel on May 31; around the Franco-German couple at the border on June 26; with the builders of the Olympic equipment on July 26… And during the National Day of July 14.
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The State will have five collective relays. What will they look like?
The first will take place on Thursday May 9 in the morning, in Marseille, for Europe Day. We will have a relay of European athletes with twenty-eight athletes and para-athletes from all EU countries (list at end of article). There will notably be four participants in the Paris Games, three former flag bearers, former Olympic champions. Among the personalities: the Belgian sprinter Kim Gevaert or our former pole vaulter Jean Galfione, of whom we are very proud that he represents France! The captain of this relay will be Maria Vysotchanska, captain of the Ukrainian rhythmic gymnastics team. It is a strong symbol. As this relay is a strong symbol to defend the values of Europe and highlight the European sporting model, which better than any other creates solidarity between high-level sport and amateur sport.
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Is a Ukrainian captain even though the country is not a member of the EU also a symbol?
It is that of our solidarity with Ukraine.
And the other collective relays of the State?
There will be a relay of young people engaged in the SNU (Universal National Service) and Civic Service in Sainte-Mère-Église in La Manche on May 31 as part of the 80th anniversary of the landing. The route should start from terminal 0 of the Freedom Lane, passing the Airborne Museum, ending in front of the famous church where soldiers of several nationalities will be present. On June 26, we will have the Franco-German relay on the Passerelle des trois pays in Huningue, in Alsace. The flame will therefore pass into Germany since it will start from the end of the bridge in Weil-am-Rhein. On July 26, it will be the Solidéo builders’ relay, with a panel of actors including companions who built the Olympic structures.
And July 14, for National Day?
It is at this stage planned that the flame will be integrated at the end of the military parade, as part of a sequence which should involve young soldiers. Our state relay will recover the flame at the end of this scene, in front of the presidential stand, to resume the route. And twenty-four students from Dora-Maar college in Saint-Denis will carry the flame for this collective relay.
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The twenty-eight bearers of the European collective relay: here is the list of twenty-eight relay bearers: Germany: Finn Sonnekalb (skating); Austria: Liu Jia (table tennis); Belgium: Kim Gevaert (athletics); Bulgaria: Emona Ivanova (badminton); Cyprus: Karolina Pelendritou (swimming); Croatia: Danira Bilić (basketball); Denmark: Sébastian Terteryan (Boxing); Spain: Fermín Cacho (athletics); Estonia: Ksenija Balta (athletics); Finland: Amanda Kotaja (athletics); Greece: Theodora Gkountoura (fencing); Hungary: Zsolt Gyulay (Kayak); Ireland: Eve McMahon (sailing); Italy: Davie Tizzano (rowing); Lithuania: Saulius Ritter (rowing); Latvia: Gunta Baško (basketball); Luxembourg: Raphaël Stacchiotti (swimming); Malta: Nathan Farrugia (trail); Netherlands: Ireen Wüst (speed skating); Poland: Anita Wlodarczyk (athletics); Portugal: Diana Duarte Gomes Pedras (swimming); Czech Republic: Lenka Henebergová (athletics); Romania: Ana Maria Florentina Brânz (fencing); Slovakia: Loriána Popovičová (triathlon); Slovenia: Domen Makuc (handball); Sweden: Hanna Koba (Sailing); Ukraine: Maria Vysotchanska (Rhythmic Gymnastics, captain of this relay); France: Jean Galfione (athletics).
