Weightlifting was celebrated with a Team Relay organised by its federation, with 24 enthusiasts. A total of 114 people took turns  carrying the Torch across the Haute-Marne, including former basketball player Florent Piétrus and mixed judo team gold medallist at Tokyo 2020 Axel Clerget, who lit the cauldron at the Saint-Dizier ceremony. 

The Olympic Torch Relay continued its exploration of eastern France on its forty-third stage, in the Haute-Marne. Located between the Champagne and Burgundy regions, the region is at the crossroads of Europe. Blessed with a generous and green natural environment, the Haute-Marne is an exceptional playground for sports enthusiasts from all walks of life. 

Regulars and visitors alike enjoy the tranquillity of the countryside, ideal for getting away from it all and pushing yourself to the limit. Whether in the great outdoors or in the heart of the numerous sports facilities, everyone can find something to satisfy their passion for sport. The Haute-Marne region and the town of Saint-Dizier are committed to promoting professional and amateur sport. 

This commitment is set to continue as Saint-Dizier aims to benefit from the legacy of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. In fact, it was one of the first towns to have its facilities labelled "Land of the Games". As the Torch passed through its streets, the town inaugurated France's largest active design trail, an 8 km route where visitors can walk, run, ride or even swim. Free and open to all, this area includes several facilities, such as a “pump track”, a military obstacle course and a sprint track with a speed gun. 

It was also a day of sport. It began in Langres, one of the most beautiful fortified towns in France, nicknamed the "Carcassonne of the North". The Torch was carried past the Town Hall, Saint-Mammès Cathedral and the Porte des Mouli. The Torchbearers admired Bourbonne-les-Bains, a spa town renowned since ancient times, and Nogent with its dolmens and the corner tower of its castle. It then visited Colombey-les-Deux-Églises, a haven of peace for General de Gaulle, whose family home, La Boisserie, was there. 

The Torch then passed the 19th century Chaumont viaduct and then the forges at Froncles. Saint-Dizier, whose foundries were so popular during the Belle Époque, also has an industrial past. Near to the Lac du Der lake, one of the largest artificial lakes in Europe, the Torch visited the urban complex of Vert-Bois , was carried along the banks of the canal between the Champagne and Burgundy regions and stopped off in front of the theatre in Saint-Dizier. Further on, the celebrations took place in the Parc du Jard. 

Langres hosted a Team Relay, the second organised there by the French Weightlifting Federation, with the president of the local Langres Haltérophilie Musculation, Jean-Louis Gudin, as captain. He has been selected for the French team on several occasions and has been president of the club for over 30 years. 23 weightlifting enthusiasts were present, including Rose Duchauffour, Amélie Balland, who practices the sport despite her disability, and referees Sylvain Besancenot and Dagmar Witkowski. 

A total of 114 torchbearers took it in turns to carry the Olympic Torch arpund the Haute-Marne. In a region where sport is so popular, it was only natural that athletes from all walks of life were present. Among them were handball player Abdelkader Rahim, an Algerian international born in Saint-Dizier, French para-shooting champion Thomas Mendez and triathlete Nicolas Thevenin, who has already taken part in nine Ironman competitions. 

Jean-Michel Brun, French wrestling champion in the 1970s, was present. After leading the French delegation to Athens 2004, he is now Vice-chairman of the French National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSF). Sport was in the spotlight until the final "torch kiss" between the two torchbearers. The penultimate one was former basketball star Florent Piétrus, a member of the French national team alongside Tony Parker, European champion in 2013 and bronze medallist at the 2012 World Championships. 

Piétrus then passed the Torch to Axel Clerget, a judoka who has excelled at the highest level: after winning the 2011 World Team Championship, he won Olympic gold in the mixed team event at the recent Tokyo Games. Axel is also from Saint-Dizier, which added to the excitement of the ceremony as he lit the cauldron. 

There were also members of the general public with stories that reflect the values of the Olympic Movement. The day's first two Torchbearers of the day, Corentin Bandosz and Sarah Parrot, who live in the Foyer Montéclair special accommodation centre, are working hard to qualify for the Paralympic Games. 

Their determination are helping to make sport accessible to people with disabilities, a fight also championed by another Torchbearer, Christophe Lattach, a sailing coach for people with disabilities. He crossed paths with Annie Cunnin, president of a paragliding club dedicated to promoting cohesion and friendship. Eva Salvadori and Jérémy Jonval, two judo enthusiasts and former members of the French national team, who are heavily involved in their clubs, were also present.