Romain Ntamack, who will have the “honor” on Friday of carrying the Olympic flame in Toulouse, does not regret not participating in the Paris Games, which he will follow in front of his TV, in particular the performances of his teammate Antoine Dupont in rugby sevens.
“Antoine has the qualities and abilities to be able to switch sports very quickly. Because rugby sevens still remains a different sport from ours (fifteens),” said Ntamack in an interview with AFP. “There are not 50 XV players who are going to do it. I think I’ll be happy on my couch cheering him on.”
“The Olympics are an incredible event to experience,” he adds. “Even if I’m not going to participate in it sportingly, being able to do it on my own small scale, carrying the flame, is a real pride and a real honor.”
The 25-year-old international fly-half, who is due to become a father in July of his first child, does not only plan to watch rugby this summer.
“I have the habit of following a bit of all the sports at each edition. Athletics remains legendary and emblematic at the Olympics. Handball, basketball…,” he testifies. “We are going to push behind all our French athletes so that they bring home as many medals as possible, gold if possible.”
Dupont will also carry the Olympic flame during its visit to Haute-Garonne on Friday and will even have the privilege of lighting the cauldron at the end of the day at the Ernest-Wallon stadium, home of the Stade Toulouse.
