Alain Calmat, (born 31 August 1940) is a French former competitive
figure skater,
surgeon, and
politician
A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking ...
. He is the
1964 Olympic silver medalist, the
1965 World champion, the 1962–1964
European champion, and the 1958 & 1962–1965
French national champion.
Career
Calmat attended the
Cours Hattemer
Cours Hattemer is a French private, secular school. It is independent of the state, and can follow its own teaching approach, which is structured and places great stress on repetition to drive home what has been learned. The school has many well-kn ...
, a private school.
He started skating at the age of nine. He won the silver medal at the
French Figure Skating Championships
The French Figure Skating Championships (french: Championnat de France Elite) are a figure skating national championship held annually to determine the national champions of France. Medals are awarded in the disciplines of men's singles, ladies' ...
in 1954 and would go on to win twelve medals at nationals before retiring: seven silver and five gold. He placed 9th at the
1956 Winter Olympics and won the bronze medal at the
1958 European Championships. At the
1960 Winter Olympics, he moved up to sixth place and won the bronze medal at the
1960 World Championships.
The following year, Calmat won the silver medal at the
1961 European Championships. He became European champion for three consecutive years from 1962 to 1964. During that period, Calmat was awarded one bronze and two silver medals at Worlds.
At the
1964 Winter Olympics
The 1964 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IX Olympic Winter Games (german: IX. Olympische Winterspiele) and commonly known as Innsbruck 1964 ( bar, Innschbruck 1964, label=Austro-Bavarian), was a winter multi-sport event which was celebr ...
, Calmat won the silver medal and went on to win his second consecutive silver medal at
Worlds. He stayed in one more season and retired as the
1965 World champion.
Calmat carried the torch and lit the Olympic flame at the
1968 Winter Olympics
The 1968 Winter Olympics, officially known as the X Olympic Winter Games (french: Les Xes Jeux olympiques d'hiver), were a winter multi-sport event held from 6 to 18 February 1968 in Grenoble, France. Thirty-seven countries participated. Frenchm ...
in
Grenoble
lat, Gratianopolis
, commune status = Prefecture and commune
, image = Panorama grenoble.png
, image size =
, caption = From upper left: Panorama of the city, Grenoble’s cable cars, place Saint- ...
, France.
Competitive highlights
After skating
Calmat later studied
medicine
Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care pr ...
, and became a
surgeon.
A
socialist
Socialism is a left-wing economic philosophy and movement encompassing a range of economic systems characterized by the dominance of social ownership of the means of production as opposed to private ownership. As a term, it describes the ...
, he started in a political career. He was
minister of Youth Affairs and Sports between 1984 and 1986 when
Laurent Fabius
Laurent Fabius (; born 20 August 1946) is a French politician serving as President of the Constitutional Council since 8 March 2016. A member of the Socialist Party, he previously served as Prime Minister of France from 17 July 1984 to 20 Mar ...
was prime minister. He was elected deputy of the
département
In the administrative divisions of France, the department (french: département, ) is one of the three levels of government under the national level (" territorial collectivities"), between the administrative regions and the communes. Ninety ...
of
Cher from 1986 until 1993. In 1995, he became the
mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well ...
of
Livry-Gargan
Livry-Gargan () is a commune in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.
History
On 20 May, 1869, a part of the territory of Livry-Gargan was detached and merged with a part of the territory of Clich ...
. In 1997 he became a deputy in the
French National Assembly.
Calmat was inducted into the
International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
The International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame ( he, יד לאיש הספורט היהודי, translit=Yad Le'ish HaSport HaYehudi) was opened July 7, 1981 in Netanya, Israel. It honors Jewish athletes and their accomplishments from anywhere arou ...
in 1987.
[
]
See also
*List of Olympic medalists in figure skating
Figure skating has been part of the Olympic Games since 1908 and has been included in 26 Olympic Games. There have been 286 medals (96 gold, 95 silver, and 95 bronze) awarded to figure skaters representing 29 representing National Olympic Com ...
*Politics of France
The politics of France take place with the framework of a semi-presidential system determined by the French Constitution of the French Fifth Republic. The nation declares itself to be an "indivisible, secular, democratic, and social Republic ...
* List of select Jewish figure skaters
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Calmat, Alain
1940 births
Living people
Jewish French sportspeople
French male single skaters
Figure skaters at the 1956 Winter Olympics
Figure skaters at the 1960 Winter Olympics
Figure skaters at the 1964 Winter Olympics
Figure skaters from Paris
Olympic figure skaters of France
Olympic silver medalists for France
Commanders of the Ordre national du Mérite
Chevaliers of the Légion d'honneur
Olympic medalists in figure skating
World Figure Skating Championships medalists
European Figure Skating Championships medalists
Medalists at the 1964 Winter Olympics
Olympic cauldron lighters
Universiade medalists in figure skating
Universiade gold medalists for France
Competitors at the 1960 Winter Universiade
French sportsperson-politicians