Olympic Flame Arrives in Guadeloupe: Torch Relay Highlights
This Saturday, June 15, the Olympic flame will make its way to Guadeloupe as part of its extensive relay journey. The event began on May 8 in Marseille and includes 500 locations over 65 days. The 32nd stage of the relay will commence in Pointe-à-Pitre, travel through various key locations including Saint-François, Le Gosier, and Saint-Claude, and conclude its day in Baie-Mahault, the economic hub of the archipelago.
The morning segment will kick off at 7:15 a.m. with the first of 102 torchbearers leaving from Pointe-à-Pitre. This leg will lead the flame to Le Gosier, arriving at 8:50 a.m. aboard the Maxi Banque Populaire XI, a racing multihull that began its ocean relay journey from Brest on June 7. Among the historical sites along this route is the ACTe Memorial, a cultural and historical site chronicling the harrowing history of the slave trade and slavery. Other morning stops include the picturesque Pointe des Châteaux in Saint-François, Le Moule, and Saint-Claude Basse-Terre.
Following a midday break, the relay will resume at 3:30 p.m. in Petit-Bourg with a fencing-themed collective relay led by Laura Flessel, a double Olympic champion in epee from 1996. The flame will then move to The Saintes archipelago before making its way to Baie-Mahault. This city is a significant commercial nerve center due to its industrial and commercial zone of Jarry.
The final leg will begin at 5:45 p.m. in front of the Bust of Delgrès. As the torch traverses the streets of Baie-Mahault, it will ultimately make its way to the Amédée-Detraux velodrome, the largest venue in Guadeloupe. Here, the cauldron will be lit at 7:05 p.m., signaling the conclusion of this stage of the relay.
- The torchbearers for this stage include Geneviève Petey, a French volunteer in the field of boxing, Margot Boucher who represents the hopes of all deaf and hard of hearing people, and Christian Cabantous, who achieved 7th dan in karate in 2022. Their participation amplifies the spirit of inclusion and diversity epitomized by the Olympic Games.
- This year's relay is not only a celebration of athletic prowess but also an homage to cultural and historical landmarks. The decision to include the ACTe Memorial in the route underscores the relay’s intention to educate and remind spectators of the area's significant history.
