Northampton father-of-three to carry Olympic torch in Brazil for Rio 2016 Olympic Games

Mark Pagett, of Rothersthorpe, Northampton, was nominated as part of a competition run by his employer, Nissan – official automotive partners of the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games – for his work supporting sport in the community.

The 40-year-old engineer is head coach and club treasurer for Birmingham Bulls American football team – roles that involve him in everything from youth development to washing the team’s kits.

A former captain of Great Britain’s American football squad at university level, Mark has been involved with the club for a quarter of a century and has played a key role in its development and progression.

He will carry the Olympic flame for about 200 metres through the city of Belo Horizonte – the City of Beautiful Horizons – as part of its 95-day, 36,000km journey that will be seen by an estimated 90 percent of Brazil’s population.

His stint as a torchbearer will be the highlight of an incredible five-day trip that will take in the sights of Rio and Belo Horizonte. Mark will be accompanied on the trip by his wife, Katie.

An excited Mark, who works as part of the Research and Advanced Engineering team at Nissan’s European Technical Centre in Bedfordshire, said: “It’s an amazing feeling knowing that I’ll be participating in something so special and will be the only person on the planet at that time holding the torch.

“It’s an incredible, once in a lifetime opportunity.”