Beijing 2008 recurve women’s team bronze medallist Bérengère Schuh carried the Olympic Flame as a team relay captain on 11 July in Migennes, on the banks of the Yonne River.

For the first time in the history of the Games, the 34 national federations whose sports are on the Games were asked to organised 69 team relays made up of 24 members from their disciplines for the Paris 2024 Torch Relay.

For archery, the cities of Migennes in Yonne and Compiègne in Oise were designated by the French archery federation.

Archery has a special place in the Yonne department, where national competitions are organised every year by La Sentinelle de Brienon, a flagship club dedicated to the promotion of the sport, and which has seen great champions, including three-time Olympian Schuh and 2008 Paralympic silver medallist Fabrice Meunier, who also took part in the relay.

“Today was an exceptional day,” said Schuh. “I carried the Olympic Flame during its journey in Migennes, in my region, in front of my family, including my little Robin.”

“This very, very, very special moment reminded me of my three Olympic selections, our team bronze medal at the Beijing Games in 2008 and all the athletes and the public with whom I had such incredible moments.”

The president of the national federation, Jean-Michel Cléroy was also one of the torchbearers for the 54th stage of the Olympic Torch Relay – in Auxerre, the last stop of the day after the route started off from the medieval town of Avallon.

The second archery team relay will be held on 18 July in Compiègne with Philippe Bouclet, former president of the national archery federation, as captain. Bouclet is also the president of Les Archers de Compiègne, one of the most iconic clubs in France, which boasts ultra-modern facilities and was chosen by the Indian team to prepare for the Paris Games.

Image courtesy of French archery federation.