Jackie Chan to Carry Paralympic Flame in Paris Torch Relay

Martial Arts Legend Jackie Chan joins Star-Studded Torchbearer Lineup for 2024 Paralympics

Hong Kong-born martial arts icon Jackie Chan has been named as one of the torchbearers for the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. The 70-year-old actor, known for his dynamic stunts and acrobatic fight scenes, will carry the flame in the French capital on Wednesday, just hours before the opening ceremony.

Chan will be joined by French actress Elsa Zylberstein and renowned dancer/choreographer Benjamin Millepied as the flame makes its way through 50 cities across France.

The torch relay will culminate in a grand parade down the Champs-Elysees, leading to the Place de la Concorde for the opening ceremony, which—like the Olympic event—will take place outside the Stade de France.

The Paralympic flame was lit on Saturday in Stoke Mandeville, UK, the historic birthplace of the Paralympic Games, and arrived in France via the Channel Tunnel on Sunday. It was carried by wheelchair fencing medalist Emmanuelle Assmann.

French sports minister Amelie Oudea-Castera, who welcomed the flame alongside Tony Estanguet, head of the organizing committee, emphasized the significance of the event: “It’s all about inscribing sport in the hearts of people with disabilities.”

The flame will be “multiplied” into 12 Paralympic flames, to be carried by 1,000 torchbearers through 50 towns in 12 simultaneous relays, all converging in Paris for Wednesday’s opening ceremony.