Track and field legend Usain Bolt is trending right now. After quipping about coming out of retirement because of Kylian Mbappe?s contract money, the athlete is hitting the headlines for getting a new honor under his name. The sprinter was honored by the Olympic Authority yesterday.
The fastest man on earth has dominated both the 200m and 100m tracks of this event and has eight Olympic medals on his wall of fame. And on 25th July in front of thousands of people, the lightning bolt was given the honor of the torchbearer of the Paris Olympics on the banks of the Seine.
Usain Bolt honored by the Paris Olympics
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Track and field legend Usain Bolt will be holding the Olympic torch to commemorate the beginning of the Olympics next year. On July 26, hundreds of fans gathered in front of the river Seine as Usain Bolt was honored with the Olympic torch on the Bateau-Mouche by the Olympic athlete and chief of the 2024 Olympics, Tony Estanguet. The day is marked as a celebration of the Olympics 2024, as after 365 days, on this day the opening of the Big Games will take place again on the river Seine.
Bolt, who is planning to bring his family with him next year for the opening ceremony event, stated in an interview with the Olympics “Paris has always been a city that I enjoyed competing in and hanging out in. I?m excited for the Olympics next year.”The athlete also posted a few pictures of the ceremony on Instagram. In the picture, Bolt was seen holding the torch in his hand, while hundreds of athletes posed in Bolt’s iconic lightning move. After the unveiling, the torch was handed to the other guests present on the boat. This torch holds significant value for the country and represents peace and equity.
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Significance of the Olympic torch
The torch built by Mathieu Lehanneur is a symbol of peace and equity. The round torch with 360-degree symmetry is mainly made of steel and possesses a champagne color, which signifies the three Paris 2024 symbols: Equality, peace, and Water. Lehanneur, while talking about the torch in a press conference, revealed that he wanted the torch to move away from being a symbol of conquest and represent peace.
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The torch truly has a deep and genuine meaning behind it. After being lit by the Olympic flame, this torch will also be carried by 11,000 bearers. And now with the Usain Bolt being honored as the torch bearer, this torch will hold a much deeper sentiment at the event.
Watch The Story: Fans Outraged as Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps Removed from GOAT List. Twitter flooded with criticism.