World record holder to be Olympic torchbearer

World Record holding rower Julia Immonen, a director of Sport Against Trafficking, has spoken of her delight at being chosen as one of the 8,000 inspiring people who have been nominated to carry the Flame.

World Record rower, and anti trafficking campaigner, Julia Immonen

This morning, London 2012 organisers announced the route of the Torch Relay would take, in its journey around the UK, as well as the names of many of the people chosen to carry the Olympic flame.

Many of the torchbearers are members of the public who have shown real courage and determination. Among them is Julia Immonen, member of Holy Trinity Brompton Church and director of Sport Against Trafficking – an anti-human trafficking charity.

Julia became a double world record holder when she and her team, Row For Freedom, took on the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge. Four of the five girls had never rowed before, and yet they rowed across the Atlantic in record time. They became the first five-woman team to row any ocean and set a new record for the fastest crossing of the Atlantic Ocean by an all-female team.

Julia will be carrying the Flame in Edinburgh on 13 June. She said: "I am honoured and delighted to be a London 2012 Olympic Torchbearer. It is so exciting and I was absolutely ecstatic when I got the news. To be a part of this prestigious event is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Being half Scottish, it will be wonderful to have my family cheering me on in Edinburgh."

From 19 May through to 27 July the 8,000 torchbearers will help carry the Flame, each wearing the official uniform – white with gold shards to represent the Flame's energy. Approximately 115 torchbearers each day will carry the Flame, which will travel to within 10 miles of 95 per cent of the population through the carefully planned route.

LOCOG Chair Seb Coe said: "Today we bring the Olympic Torch Relay to life. The Flame symbolises the Olympic spirit and its journey around the UK will bring the excitement of the Games to our streets.

"Now people know the route the Olympic Flame will be carried along and who is running in which community, they can start planning in detail how they will celebrate the Torch coming to them and truly make it their moment to shine."