French freediver Alice Modolo made history as she surfaced from the Mediterranean Sea with the Olympic torch.
When opening the Olympic Games, it is tradition to have a torch relay: a flame ignited in Olympia, Greece, is transported to the year's host country.
This time, instead of the usual runners, the record-breaking diver had everyone holding their breath as she brought up the Olympic torch from deep waters.
"So today, I went down to about 20 meters and my immersion lasted about one minute and 30 (seconds). And today, it was neither the depth not the time that counted. It was really the emblem of this historic moment to bring up the Olympic torch from the depths of Villefranche harbor," Modolo recounted.
Modolo was the first French woman to have swum a depth of a hundred meters using a monofin, and has 25 freediving homeland records under her belt besides.
"And of course, upon arriving at the dock, to be cheered like that, it's magical. It's more beautiful than in my dreams," Modolo said.
Not only is the passing of the torch done in recognition of the origin of the ancient games. According to the International Olympic Committee, it also symbolizes friendship and peace among participant countries.
The Olympic torch relay ended with the 2024 Paris Olympics' opening ceremony on June 26.
