Announcement of Paralympic Flame Lighting Ceremony in Stoke Mandeville Ahead of Paris 2024
This Saturday, the renowned Paralympic Flame will be ignited in Stoke Mandeville, Great Britain, the historic cradle of the Paralympic Movement. This significant event will occur just four days prior to the commencement of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
On Friday at noon, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) officially announced that two distinguished British Paralympians, Helene Raynsford and Gregor Ewan, have been selected to perform the ceremonial lighting of the Paralympic Flame.
Helene Raynsford has an illustrious history as she became the first Paralympic champion in the discipline of Para rowing during the Beijing 2008 Games. In contrast, Gregor Ewan has earned recognition through his participation in three separate Paralympic Games in the sport of wheelchair curling. In sharing her feelings upon receiving this honor, Ms. Raynsford expressed, “There are no words to describe the honour of being chosen to light the Paralympic Flame alongside Gregor Ewan at the birthplace of the Paralympic Movement. It will be a very special moment.”
The lighting of the Paralympic Flame on Saturday marks the first occasion since the London 2012 Games that this ceremonial event will take place in Stoke Mandeville. The IPC, ParalympicsGB, and WheelPower collectively emphasize that this initiative serves to highlight the essential contributions of Stoke Mandeville and the esteemed Sir Ludwig Guttmann to the establishment and evolution of the Paralympic Movement.
Following the lighting ceremony, IPC President Andrew Parsons will serve as the inaugural torchbearer for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Torch Relay, completing a brief circuit on the athletes’ track at Stoke Mandeville. Subsequently, in the early afternoon hours, the Flame will make its trans-channel journey via the Channel Tunnel, where it will be digitally replicated into twelve Flames that will traverse across France. These Flames are scheduled to converge in Paris on the evening of August 28, coinciding with the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games.
In conclusion, the lighting of the Paralympic Flame in Stoke Mandeville represents not only a celebration of athletic excellence but also a poignant recognition of the historical significance of this location in the evolution of the Paralympic Movement. This event stands as a testament to the enduring spirit of inclusivity and competition inherent to the Paralympic Games.
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