Olympic Day 2023   |23 June 2023

Traditional Olympic day run, symbol of sport for all movement

Launched in 1987 in an effort to encourage all National Olympic committees to commemorate and celebrate Olympic Day, the annual run, with the objective of promoting the practice of participation in sports by men, women and children from all corners of the world and all walks of life, regardless of athletic ability will take place this afternoon at the Roche Caïman fitness trail.

The traditional Olympic Day run is part of global activities to commemorate Olympic Day which is this year being celebrated under the theme 'Let's Move' which aims to inspire people around the world to make time for daily physical activities.

The first Olympic Day run was held in 1987, over a distance of 10km, with 45 participating National Olympic committees (NOCs).

Today’s event will begin with an executive member of the Seychelles Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association (Socga) reading the annual message of Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Other than the traditional run, the Bel Ombre primary school, in collaboration with the National Olympic Academy of Seychelles (NOAS), will be hosting a series of activities on the school’s compound.

The origin of the Olympic Day

Olympic Day is a celebration of sport, health, and being together. It invites everyone around the globe to be active and move together with purpose on June 23 every year.

Participants from all over the world commemorate the day. The International Olympic Committee was founded at the Sorbonne in Paris, where Pierre de Coubertin rallied the revival of the Ancient Olympic Games on June 23, 1894.

It represents making the world a better place through sport.

Olympic Day celebrations can be traced all the way back to 1947.

Compiled by Roland Duval