Hong Kong-born martial arts actor Jackie Chan was named on Sunday as one of the torchbearers for the opening ceremony of the Paris Paralympic Games.
The 70-year-old, who is known for his stunts and acrobatic fight scenes, will carry the torch in the French capital hours before Wednesday afternoon’s opening ceremony, according to the organizing committee.
The torch relay will also feature Elsa Zylberstein, a French actress, and Benjamin Millepied, a dancer and choreographer.
Wednesday’s event, similar to the Olympic opening ceremony, will take place outside the Stade de France, with a parade down the Champs-Elysees to the Place de la Concorde in central Paris.
The flame was lit on Saturday in Stoke Mandeville, the historic home of the British Paralympics, and carried to France on Sunday by wheelchair fencing medallist Emmanuelle Assmann via the Channel Tunnel.
“This is all about putting sport in the hearts and minds of people with disabilities,” said French Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera, who welcomed the flame with organising committee president Tony Estanguet.
The flame will continue its journey, where it will be “multiplied” into 12 Paralympic flames, carried by 1,000 torchbearers in 12 simultaneous relays across 50 towns.
The 12 relays will come together in Paris, where the flame will arrive on Wednesday for the opening ceremony.
