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A collective relay dedicated to tennis

A collective relay organised by the French Federation of Tennis took place. With the French open underway at Roland Garros, the sport is on a roll, with more than a million club members of all ages, as demonstrated by the relay’s captain: Claudine Contoz is 81 years old and has been playing tennis for almost 70 years! She recently won the world team championships in the category for 80-year-olds! Alongside her were ex-international tennis player and former world number 5 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, wheelchair tennis players Gaëtan Menguy and Geoffray Jasiak, as well as emerging young players Lucas Marionneau and Simon Quelard, not forgetting chairman Jean-Philippe Raoult and treasurer Bernadette Rousseau at La Baule Tennis Club. Activities and introductions to the sport were also organised by the Federation throughout the day.

In addition to these tennis aficionados, 141 torchbearers carried the Olympic Torch this Wednesday, including other sportspersons renowned in their discipline, such as football world cup winner in 1998 Christian Karembeu, para-swimmer Philippe Revillon, a four times medallist at the Games, and tennis player Edouard-Roger Vasselin. The last torchbearer who had the honour of concluding the day was horse rider Roger-Yves Bost, one of the best show jumpers in France and a European champion in 2013, as well as an Olympic champion at the age of 50 at the Rio Games. He shared top billing on the day with actress Virginie Ledoyen who also carried the Olympic Torch in La Baule.

Many members of the general public with inspiring stories to tell were also present, such as Nabila Huruguen, who runs workshops promoting sport as a powerful tool for social integration and devotes her time to supporting athletes seeking financial backing, or Magali Houguet, a teacher with a passion for History / Geography / Moral and Civic Education, who co-authored the ‘Generation 2024’ application for her school.

Other torchbearers on the day are committed to sport on a daily basis, like François Ance, who, after participating in para-swimming, became a boccia referee and member of the Pays de La Loire region’s para-sports committee, or Vincent Dubois: this table tennis enthusiast for more than 40 years will be taking part in 2024 in the discipline’s veterans’ world championships in Italy.

The day also witnessed the Olympic Torch Relay’s first marriage proposal: Raphaël Vriet, a torchbearer on the roads through Saint-Sebastien-sur-Loire, took advantage to ask his partner if she would carry the torch of their love with him together forever.

All the torchbearers flew the flag high for Olympic values and helped to move the fervour generated by this event up a notch. The excitement should once again be palpable this Thursday as the Olympic Torch returns to Brittany and heads for the Morbihan, for a trip between Lorient and Vannes.