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The 2024 Paris Games are just days away, and many big names and entertainment have been part of the Olympic traditions that lead up to the opening ceremony. Salma Hayek was one of them, participating in the Olympic torch relay in Paris on Tuesday.
The Frida star looked stoked to be a part of the relay, as she posed in Versailles, France. Ahead of the event, the Mexican beauty shared a gallery of photos and videos on Instagram with her 28.6 million followers getting ready, sharing her excitement. Included in the mix was an impressive cartwheel.
Hayek looked like a uniformed professional wearing an outfit given to her by the Paris Games. The House of Gucci star wore an all-white look with pants, an athletic shirt with orange details, and "Paris 2024" with the famous Olympic rings printed on the back. "Getting ready to participate in the Olympic torch relay in Paris! Feeling the excitement and unity the Olympics brings," she wrote in the caption.
Once the Olympic Games begin, Hayek may be cheering for more than one country. The 57-year-old beauty was born in Mexico, found global fame in the United States, and now lives in London.
Hayek joins a famous list of celebrities who have all carried the Olympic torch. Halle Berry, who just celebrated her 20th anniversary of Catwoman with topless photos, was among those for 2024. It was announced on Tuesday that Snoop Dogg will be one of the final torchbearers before the opening ceremony on Friday.
The passing of the Olympic torch finishes when the last person lights the Olympic cauldron on the night of the opening ceremony. Their identity is kept a strict secret until then. Paris 2024 organizing committee president Tony Estanguet said on Sunday that the person who will light the cauldron still doesn't know, per ESPN.
ESPN notes that France's Marie-Jose Perec, a three-time gold medalist in track and field, and soccer star Zinedine Zidane, who led France to the World Cup title in 1998 and the European crown in 2000, are among the candidates. The torch will burn in a cauldron for the duration of the Games until it is extinguished during the Olympic closing ceremony.
The Olympic Flame’s History
The lighting of the Olympic Flame is historical, binding the ancient and modern versions of the games. Ancient Greek ceremonies had a sacred fire that burnt through the celebrations of the ancient Olympics.
The Olympic Torch Relay has taken place every Summer Games since Berlin 1936. The tradition begins at Olympia, Greece, and was lit on Tuesday, April 16, with a special ceremony at the archaeological site of Olympia. It made its way to Paris by way of relay.