The essential
Paulin Riva, Valérie Gauvin… This Thursday, March 7, in the context of a meeting about the events planned for May 18 for the Olympic Flame passage in Gers, the torchbearers were honored. Around thirty names are currently known.
As the D-day approaches, the list of Gersois who will have the privilege of carrying the Olympic Flame on May 18 along the roads of the department continues to grow. Slowly but surely. After the announcement by the Department on January 15 of the first 6 names, all former high-level athletes, the list has now grown to 29. Clément Laffitte, Pierre Bru, Colette Castex, Omar Bouyoucef… are among them.
Paulin Riva and Valérie Gauvin will have the honor of carrying the Olympic Flame in Gers.
A list to which we must also add Valérie Gauvin, with 37 caps in the French women’s football team, and Paulin Riva, captain of the French 7-a-side rugby team. Just back from a historic tour in the Americas, where the French team won the Los Angeles tournament on March 3, the Gersois will have the heavy responsibility of leading the Gersois Olympic Flame relay team.
7 cities crossed, 7 programs to validate
All of them, and many others not yet known, will run a few meters with the torch in hand in the streets of one of the 7 chosen Gersois cities (Auch, L’Isle-Jourdain, Condom, Mirande, Nogaro, Fleurance and Marciac).
Each of these cities has been working on animations that will line the torch’s route for several weeks now. Yesterday, the representatives of these cities were gathered – almost entirely – in the amphitheater of the IUT Paul Sabatier in Auch, for the 3rd departmental technical engagement committee (CTE) for the Olympic Flame route.
The prefect of Gers, Laurent Carrié, and the president of the Department, Philippe Dupouy, were also present at the meeting at the IUT Paul Sabatier in Auch.
And based on the projects presented to the torchbearers, the day of May 18 is already looking grandiose. Has the Olympic Flame ever done wakeboarding? Yes. On the sidelines of the Sochi Winter Olympics. But for the Summer Olympics? Not likely. At least until the torch comes to L’Isle-Jourdain. Surprise!
