A moment of pride is about to light up Italy. Tennis star Jasmine Paolini has been chosen as the official ambassador to bring the Olympic Flame of Milano Cortina 2026 to her homeland. Currently ranked eighth in the WTA world standings and fresh from winning gold in women’s doubles at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Paolini will play a decisive role in bridging history and hope through this profound tradition—the symbolic journey of the Flame from ancient Greece to the host nation of the next Olympic Games.
But here’s where it gets even more meaningful: on December 4, Paolini will serve as a Torchbearer during the Handover Ceremony in Athens, sharing the honor with Olympic cycling champion Filippo Ganna. Together, they will represent the spirit and strength of Italian sport before accompanying the Flame to its next destination—Rome.
This special opportunity for Jasmine Paolini comes through a collaboration between Milano Cortina 2026 and Coca-Cola, the Presenting Partners of the Olympic Torch Relay. Coca-Cola has carefully selected torchbearers who best represent the Olympic ideals of excellence, friendship, and respect—individuals whose influence extends beyond sports to include music, culture, and social commitment. And this is the part most people overlook: the Torch Relay isn’t just about athletic achievement; it also celebrates the diversity of human stories behind the pursuit of greatness.
So why Jasmine Paolini? Coca-Cola explains the choice clearly: she embodies authenticity, perseverance, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. Her career reflects resilience and inspiration, marking her as both a role model for new generations and a living example of the Olympic spirit.
The handover ceremony: from Athens to Rome
The official Handover Ceremony will be held at Athens’ historic Panathenaic Stadium at 11:00 a.m. local time on December 4. During this culminating moment of the Greek leg of the relay, Paolini and Ganna will carry the torch together, representing modern Italy with pride and energy. Ganna, a cyclist from Piedmont, already boasts a remarkable record: Olympic gold in the track team pursuit at Tokyo 2020, followed by silver in the road time trial and bronze in the same discipline at Paris 2024. Their participation continues Italy’s proud representation at each stage of the Flame’s journey, following legendary athletes Stefania Belmondo and Armin Zoeggeler, who took part in the earlier Lighting Ceremony in Olympia.
After nine inspiring days of travel across Greece, the Olympic Flame will arrive in Athens for its final Greek ceremony. Greek water polo player Elena Xenaki, along with her national teammates, will light the Olympic Cauldron inside the Panathenaic Stadium. Then comes a moment of symbolic unity: Isidoros Kouvelos, President of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, will officially pass the Olympic Torch to Giovanni Malagò, President of Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026—the organizing body of the upcoming Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.
From there, the journey continues to Italy. The Flame will be carried aboard an ITA Airways flight, arriving at Rome’s Fiumicino “Leonardo da Vinci” Airport at 5:00 p.m. on the same day. Upon landing, President Giovanni Malagò and Jasmine Paolini will be the first to step off the plane, carrying the protective lantern that shelters the sacred fire destined to ignite the Milano Cortina 2026 Games.
And now the question for the audience: Do you believe athletes like Paolini should symbolize the Olympic values primarily for their sporting excellence, or should their personal stories and cultural impact weigh just as much? Share your thoughts—this is one debate that always lights a spark.
