Richard Parks to carry Olympic Torch

19th March 2012

We are thrilled to announce that Richard Parks will be carrying the Olympic Torch through Swansea on its journey through Wales on Saturday 26^th May.

Richard was nominated by hundreds of people to be an Olympic Torchbearer and is thrilled to be carrying the Olympic flame through his home country before the Olympics begin on 27 July.

Richard stated; “It is such an honour to be carrying the Olympic Torch on its journey through Wales.  To play a part in the torch relay around the UK to the Olympic Stadium in London is so special and I must thank everyone who nominated me to be a Torchbearer.  It will be an immensely proud day.  I have loved watching the Olympics since I was a child and to play a small part in the history of the Olympic Games here in the UK will be an incredible moment for me”.

Richard, who last year wrote his name in to the record books by climbing the highest summit on each of the world’s 7 continents and standing on all 3 poles (the North Pole, South Pole and summit of Everest) in just 7 months has had a whirlwind 8 months since returning from his world first 737 Challenge in July 2011.  He’s been fundraising in earnest to try and raise £1m in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Care and his fundraising efforts were commended earlier this month when he won Just Giving’s Celebrity Fundraiser of the Year.  He also won a special award at the Rugby Writers’ dinner in January for his achievements and now looks ahead to carrying the Olympic Flame and the final few months of his fundraising in aid of Marie Curie.

His fundraising endeavors, completing his world first and being an inspirational figure were just some of the reasons why people put Richard’s name forward to carry the Olympic Flame.  Potential torchbearers were nominated through programmes run by Locog and sponsors Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung in 2011 and it was a nomination made through Samsung, which saw Richard selected.

Richard added; “I’ve been doing everything I can since I returned to fundraise and it’s really humbling that people nominated me to be a Torchbearer for not just completing the 737 Challenge but for all the effort myself and the team have put in to raising funds in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Care.  There are so many inspirational people who will be carrying the torch so to be named alongside them is a real honour.  I am totally amped about Saturday May 26^th when I will be carrying the Olympic Flame.  I hope everyone comes down to Swansea to cheer me on and that everyone across Wales comes together to celebrate the Olympic Torch Relay travelling through our beautiful country”.

THE OLYMPIC FLAME STARTS ITS 70-DAY JOURNEY IN JUST 9 WEEKS TIME

8,000 torchbearers will take the torch on the 70-day journey that will come within 10 miles of 95 per cent of the population.  It will start at Land's End on May 19 and end at the Olympic Stadium on July 27.

Every street it passes through is plotted on a new interactive map, see below.