UFC’s top French fighter, Ciryl Gane, has been selected to serve as an honorary torchbearer for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
So, Ciryl Gane’s got a new gig. He’s gonna be an Olympic torchbearer. Cool, right?
The 2024 Olympic Games are happening this summer. And where? Paris, baby! Now, as per tradition, the Olympic flame does a bit of a tour. It goes on a relay through the host nation before the opening ceremony.
And guess who’s been picked to carry the torch? Yep, you got it. It’s our very own UFC French top dog, Gane. He spilled the beans on his Instagram on Saturday.
He’s pretty chuffed about it too. He said, “Proud to carry the flame.” And he’s got dreams, too. He’s hoping to see MMA as an Olympic event one day. And he’s inviting everyone to meet him on June 4 at La Roche-sur-Yon.
The relay kicked off on Thursday, May 9, in Marseille. And it’s not a short trip. The flame will be on the road for the next 11 weeks, traveling through France. The grand finale? The start of the Olympic Games on July 26.
There’s a whole bunch of people involved. Nearly 10,000 athletes, volunteers, and other big names will serve as torchbearers this year. Each person gets to carry the Olympic flame for about 200 meters.
And Gane? He’s got a spot during the 24th stage of the relay. The flame will be moving from the Deux-Sèvres region to Les Sables-d’Olonne.
A bit about Gane. He’s a former interim UFC heavyweight champion. And he’s no stranger to the spotlight. He’s headlined UFC events in Paris twice, including his most recent fight. He scored a TKO win over Serghei Spivac last September. Not too shabby, eh?