In March 2004, John Bestebroer was present at the lighting of the Olympic Flame in Olympia-Greece in 2004. He could not know at that moment that he would be allowed to walk with the Olympic torch a few months later in Amsterdam. On 23 June 2004, he became one of the 123 Dutch torch bearers who were selected. Former Dutch Olympic athletes were chosen mostly, but the Dutch Olympic Committee (NOC*NSF) also asked John to carry the torch as a he was a huge Olympic fan. 

At every Olympic Game, the Olympic flame is something special and John was very proud to be directly involved in this event.