On July 25th, Tony Estanguet, the president of Paris 2024, unveiled the torch that will be used for the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games at the Organising Committee’s headquarters. Mathieu Lehanneur designed the torch. This is through the collaboration with production partner ArcelorMittal. A total of 11,000 individuals will carry the torch. This is 10,000 individuals for the Olympic Games and 1,000 for the Paralympic Games – during the torch relay. The torch relay will commence in France on May 8, 2024.
Over the course of the next year, the torch will travel thousands of kilometers, passing through various regions, before finally arriving to light the cauldron at the grand Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games. After the two weeks of thrilling competition, it will embark on a new journey for the Paralympic Torch Relay and take part in lighting the cauldron at the Opening Ceremony on August 28, 2024.
Unity and Spirit of the Games
The torch’s journey symbolizes the unity and spirit of the Games, connecting people from different backgrounds and cultures, as it plays a vital role in marking the commencement of these global sporting events.
While the two relays will be different, the design of the torch is exactly the same, as Estanguet explained: “Following our logic of building bridges between the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the latter already shares the same emblem and mascot as the former. At Paris 2024, we will also have a single torch design.”
“This object embodies every edition of the Games,” he continued during the press conference. “When we look back at history, every torch is more beautiful than the others, each one with its own uniqueness. Every country tries to showcase its creativity and we can see that. It’s an aesthetic object that says something.”
The torch of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games stands out first and foremost for its champagne color, which is both unique and luminous. To reflect the upcoming Games, torch designer Lehanneur also drew inspiration from three Paris 2024 symbols: Equality, Water and Peacefulness.