ANTERSELVA, ITALY, Feb 5 (Reuters) - French biathlete Emilien Jacquelin is set to honour his sporting hero, Marco "The Pirate" Pantani, by wearing an earring lent to him by the deceased cyclist's family as he competes at the Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina.
In a post on Instagram, Jacquelin revealed that the family of Pantani, who died from acute cocaine poisoning on February 14, 2004 at the age of 34, had agreed to let him borrow the earring that, together with the Italian's famous bandana and shaven head, made the climbing specialist an iconic figure in the world of sport.
"Today, I have the privilege of keeping the Pantani flame alive for a few races," Jacquelin said. "During these two weeks of the Olympic Games, I will be wearing Marco's earring. His family is lending it to me so I can race with it here in Italy.
"Through this earring, this accessory that made him so unique, it's not just Marco who resonates within me, but an idea of competition: audacity, panache, the courage to attack when no one else dares."
Currently ranked eighth in the world ahead of the Games, the 30-year-old Jacquelin wrote about how Pantani's escapades had inspired him from the age of five, and the Frenchman will be hoping to add to his two Olympic silver medals from Beijing at this year's Games.
"It's my way of paying tribute to him. Of saying thank you. Of showing him that his legacy lives on, that his story has instilled in children a love of sport, the desire to push their limits, to dare, to go against all odds," Jacquelin added.
"Thank you to Tonina Pantani, Paolo Pantani, and Sergio Piumetto for allowing little Emilien to live his dream: running in Italy at the Olympic Games, with Marco by my side. Grazie Marco."
(Reporting by Philip O'Connor; additional reporting by Vincent DaheronEditing by Christian Radnedge)
