The Olympic flame has arrived in Marseille, France

 

The Olympic flame has arrived in Marseille, France, marking the start of the 79-day countdown to the Paris Games. The flame was carried on land by French Olympic swimmer Florent Manaudou and handed to Paralympic track athlete Nantenin Keita before being lit by French rapper Jul in front of a crowd of 150,000, including President Emmanuel Macron.

The Olympic flame relay will travel around France and its overseas territories before arriving in Paris for the opening ceremony on July 26. The relay will cover 7,500 miles and involve over 10,000 torchbearers, including former Marseille footballers Jean-Pierre Papin, Didier Drogba, and Basile Boli.

The arrival of the flame was met with tight security, with 6,000 law enforcement officers, canine units, and elite forces snipers on patrol. Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin described the security measures as "unprecedented" and said that the threat level had been raised due to concerns over terrorism and online threats from groups such as the Islamic State.

Despite the security concerns, the atmosphere in Marseille was festive, with a flotilla of over 1,000 boats welcoming the 128-year-old three-masted sailing ship Belem, which carried the flame from Greece. President Macron described the moment as "the end of preparations" and said that the Games would bring pride to the French people.

The Paris 2024 organizing committee president, Tony Estanguet, said that Marseille was the "obvious choice" to host the boat parade due to its history as France's oldest city, founded by Greeks. He also emphasized the significance of the Games, saying that they would bring people together and promote the city.

The torch relay will begin its journey to Paris on Thursday, passing through various cities and towns before arriving at the Jardin des Tuileries, where the flame will be installed near the Louvre. The opening ceremony of the Olympics is expected to be a grand spectacle, with over 10,000 athletes sailing along a 6km stretch of the River Seine through the center of Paris on 160 barges. However, President Macron has said that the ceremony could be moved if the security risk is deemed too high.