A replica of the Eiffel Tower with the logo of the 2024 Olympic Games surrounded by official mascots for the Paris 2024 is displayed in Paris, France, November 15, 2022. /CFP
The guessing game surrounding the athlete chosen to bear the first torch in each Olympic Games is always captivating.
It seems that history has repeated itself in some intriguing ways. Greek Alpine skier Ioannis Antoniou had the honor of being the first torchbearer for both the Sochi 2014 and the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. Breaking barriers, at the Tokyo 2020 Games, it was Greek shooting gold medalist Anna Korakaki who made history as the first woman to play the prestigious role.
As we eagerly look forward to the 2024 Olympics, the Hellenic Olympic Committee (HOC) announced on Wednesday that Greek Olympic rowing champion Stefanos Ntouskos will carry the flame as the first torchbearer in the relay from Olympia to Paris for the much-anticipated Games next year.
Ntouskos etched his name in Greek sporting history by becoming the country's first-ever rowing gold medalist at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, triumphing in the single sculls event. His selection as the first torchbearer carries on the cherished tradition of a Greek athlete commencing the journey at the ancient Olympic site of Olympia.
Stefanos Ntouskos of Greece poses with the gold medal in the men's rowing single sculls final at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, July 30, 2021. /CFP
Mark your calendars for April 16, as the Olympic Flame lighting ceremony will take place in Olympia, setting the stage for the symbolic start of the torch relay. Spanning from April 16 to 26, the Greek leg of the relay will see approximately 600 torchbearers carry the flame.
The flame will then embark on a maritime voyage across the Mediterranean Sea aboard the Belem, a magnificent three-masted ship. Its voyage will culminate with a grand arrival at the Old Port of Marseille, where it will be greeted by a magnificent fleet of boats, signaling the start of the French leg of the relay on May 8.
"Greece and France share a deep bond of cooperation and solidarity. With Paris set to host an exceptional Olympic Games, it will showcase the remarkable spirit and greatness of the French people," said Spyros Kapralos, president of the HOC, in a statement.
The relay will continue until the eagerly awaited opening ceremony in Paris on July 26, weaving a tale of international unity and athletic excellence.