By Dana Page and Abby RoEdel Schlicher
Gilbert Tuhabonye was honored to represent Burundi by becoming the first torchbearer ahead of the 1996 Summer Olympics held in Atlanta, Georgia. For a man nearly burned alive to bear a flame as a symbol of peace and friendship, it was a full-circle moment for Gilbert. In recognition of the Paris Games, we talked about this extraordinary experience with him.
How were you asked to be a torchbearer for the Olympics?
I was 21 and living in La Grange, Georgia, at a training center with athletes from all over. I was with a bunch of other athletes from third-world countries: North Africa, South Africa, and South America. And so a country would select a representative. And they selected me. It was when the torch was going through Birmingham, Alabama. I didn't know what to expect.
Do you remember when you got a call and how it made you feel?
I got a letter. As far as I know, nobody in my country has ever carried the Olympic torch. We have never participated in the Olympics; that was the first year.
Everything was a shock. So I get here in April. Everything was coming to me. I'm training, and I want to participate and qualify. Then all of a sudden - the Olympic torch. Everybody said, "Oh my God, it's so cool." My teammates respected me because they knew what I went through. Also, I was faster than most people at this training camp. And so it was just a cool experience to be selected. Then they put me on a bus. First, we had to go to Alabama from LaGrange. Then they drop you where you will be at your starting point.
How long did you carry the torch?
It was not far—I don't remember the distance—but they gave us an outfit, which was cool.
Were you scared of getting burned?
It was an incredible moment. It took me back to the fire. It's like that fire that was burning me, I can't believe I have a flame in my hands. It was a victory lap. It was like the bad things were buried, but now I'm at the top. It's a little bit heavy. You have a motorcycle; they're supposed to pace you. That's not how it happened to me. I was going fast because of excitement and enjoyment. To be able to run again and hold the fire that burned me. It was just an incredible moment.
Did you get to go to any of the Olympic events when you got back to Atlanta?
I went to watch the 10,000. It was cool because I knew one of my friends was running it, finishing fifth or sixth. You have the fastest people in the world. It was incredible.
And I remember being stupid on TV! Coca-Cola sponsored us, so the media came out a couple of weeks before the Olympics, and we had an autograph signing event to meet the athletes. I remember that CNN interviewed me. The clip will make you laugh. They ask, "How do you think you'll do?" I said, "I'm going to win." When I think about that now, I say, "I'm going to win," without even knowing who's running. I feel embarrassed right now. At that time, it was fun. But also, the media hypes you up, so you say you will win! Say you're going to do it! That's the memory that I have.
How do you think about and contextualize those memories today?
It's a cool experience to be trusted and represent the country. Running and knowing that I was in the fire and then holding a fire three years later was just a cool experience that I don't know how to explain. I felt like I was at the top of the world because, again, the flame burning in my hands was the one that I escaped, and if I could do that, then I would think the future would be bright. Here we are today, 28 years later.
It's a great time. It's a great time to be happy. For the country we come from, this is a great year to witness the great athletes, and the great talents come together to compete for one course, three medals. But the key is that here, we are united by sports. Sports unify people. They connect us.
Do you hold a special place in your heart for one Olympic event?
I'm a mid-distance guy, and when I was running, I would do anything from 400 on up. I have to watch who wins because I've done those races. I've done 400, 800, 1500, 5K, 10K, and the marathon. You name it, I've done it. I know what they are going through. Those are what I want to watch. I know the runners. I have studied the runners. I can even predict who's going to win. So I love middle distance to distance, but sprints are also fun because of the rivalry between America, Jamaica, and the rest of the world. I like to watch the sprints.
These days, I watch everything during the Olympics—all the games! It's amazing, especially swimming, because my kids are now swimmers.
Learn more about Gilbert Tuhabonye.
The Olympic excitement is in the air!
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Race Date: November 3, 2024.