Laura Flessel-Colovic (born 6 November 1971) is a French politician and
épée fencer who served as
Minister of Sports A minister of sport (or sports minister) is a position in the governments of some countries responsible for dealing with sports.
Minister of Sport may refer to:
* Ministry of Tourism and Sports (Argentina)
* Minister for Sport (Australia)
* Minist ...
from 2017 to 2018. Born in
Pointe-à-Pitre
Pointe-à-Pitre (; gcf, label=Guadeloupean Creole, Pwentapit, , or simply , ) is the second largest (most populous) city of Guadeloupe after Les Abymes. Guadeloupe is an overseas region and Overseas department, department of France located in the ...
,
Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe (; ; gcf, label=Antillean Creole, Gwadloup, ) is an archipelago and overseas department and region of France in the Caribbean. It consists of six inhabited islands—Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, La Désirade, and the ...
, she has won the most Olympic medals of any French sportswoman, with five. Before 2007, she was a member of the
Levallois Sporting Club Escrime, and now works with Lagardère Paris Racing. She is married and has one daughter.
She was France's flag-bearer at the
2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony
The opening ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics took place on the evening of Friday 27 July 2012 in the Olympic Stadium, London, during which the Games were formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II. As mandated by the Olympic Charter, the pr ...
in London, which was her fifth and last Olympics.
She was appointed Minister of Sports in the
Philippe Government on 17 May 2017 and resigned on 4 September 2018.
Sporting career
Fencer
Laura Flessel began fencing at age six and quickly became a very talented fencer. She progressed quickly and became champion of Guadeloupe. Then, she gained solid experience on the Caribbean, Central American and Pan American circuits, winning in 1990 the Pan American Championships in foil and épée. The same year, she joined the metropolis, to train with the
Racing Club de France
Racing Club de France, also known as RCF, is a French Sports club, omnisport club that was founded on 20 April 1882 under the name Racing Club.
Racing Club changed its name to Racing Club de France (RCF) on 21 November 1885. The club is located a ...
. She also trains within the
INSEP
INSEP, the National Institute of Sport, Expertise, and Performance (Institut national du sport, de l'expertise et de la performance), is a French training institute and center for excellence in sports that trains elite athletes. It is located on th ...
, which allows her to face the best French fencers.
She won her first world stage success in 1995, finishing in third place at the
Hague World Championships. This bronze medal is accompanied by a silver medal in the team event, which was defeated 45 to 44 by
Hungary
Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia a ...
. Her teammates were
Valérie Barlois,
Sophie Moressee and
Sangita Tripathi
Sangita Tripathi (born 8 July 1968) is a French fencer. She competed in the women's individual and team épée events at the 2000 Summer Olympics
The 2000 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXVII Olympiad and also known as Sydne ...
.
After her gold medal at the
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXVI Olympiad, also known as Atlanta 1996 and commonly referred to as the Centennial Olympic Games) were an international multi-sport event held from July 19 to August 4, 1996, in Atlanta, ...
and her victory at
1998 World Cup, she became the eighth French fencer, and first woman, to win the Olympic and World Champion titles. She is one of the favorites for the
2000 Summer Olympics
The 2000 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXVII Olympiad and also known as Sydney 2000 (Dharug: ''Gadigal 2000''), the Millennium Olympic Games or the Games of the New Millennium, was an international multi-sport event held from 1 ...
title. She finally fails in the semi-final against
Timea Nagy. At the
2006 World Championships in Turin, she gets a new individual bronze medal, beaten again by
Timea Nagy
The
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and also known as Beijing 2008 (), were an international multisport event held from 8 to 24 August 2008, in Beijing, China. A total of 10,942 athletes from 204 Na ...
, her fourth Olympic Games, marks a turning point as it is the first Olympics where she does not get a medal after being eliminated by
Li Na
Li Na (born 26 February 1982) is a Chinese former professional tennis player.
She achieved a career-high WTA ranking of world No. 2 on 17 February 2014. Over the course of her career, Li won nine WTA Tour singles titles including two Grand Sl ...
(15-9) in the quarter-finals. The year 2009 sees again Laura Flessel at the top but still without success with a third place at the
European Championships
The European Championships is a multi-sport tournament which brings together the existing European Championships of some of the continent's leading sports every four years. The inaugural edition in 2018 was staged by the host cities of Berlin, ...
in
Plovdiv
Plovdiv ( bg, Пловдив, ), is the second-largest city in Bulgaria, standing on the banks of the Maritsa river in the historical region of Thrace. It has a population of 346,893 and 675,000 in the greater metropolitan area. Plovdiv is the c ...
and a failure at the
World Championships
A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game, ...
in
Antalya
Antalya () is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, fifth-most populous city in Turkey as well as the capital of Antalya Province. Located on Anatolia's southwest coast bordered by the Taurus Mountains, Antalya is the largest Turkish cit ...
where she lost f in quarter final against
Lyubov Shutova
Lyubov Andreyevna Shutova (russian: Любовь Андреевна Шутова; born 25 June 1983) is a Russian fencer, World champion in 2009 and team World champion in 2013 and 2014. Bronze medallist of a team event at 2016 Summer Olympics ...
after a close match that ends in sudden death on the score of 7 to 8.
On 21 April 2012, she qualifies for the
individual event of the
London Olympics by defeating
Emma Samuelsson in the semifinals of the European Zone Qualifying Championship in
Bratislava
Bratislava (, also ; ; german: Preßburg/Pressburg ; hu, Pozsony) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Slovakia. Officially, the population of the city is about 475,000; however, it is estimated to be more than 660,000 — approxim ...
. On 14 May 2012, Laura Flessel is officially designated
flag bearer of the French delegation for the
London Olympics. In her final competition, she defeated
Courtney Hurley
Courtney Hurley (born September 30, 1990) is an American fencer. She won a bronze medal in the women's team épée alongside Maya Lawrence, Susie Scanlan, and Kelley Hurley at the 2012 Summer Olympics. A standout at the University of Notre D ...
(15-12) before losing to
Simona Gherman
Simona Gherman (née Alexandru; born 12 April 1985) is a retired Romanian épée fencer, European champion in 2012 and 2016. She was twice team World Champion in 2010 and 2011 and five-time team European Champion in 2008, 2009, 2011, 2014 and 201 ...
(No. 4 worldwide) 15–13. She ends her career at the age of 40.
Controversy
Laura Flessel was banned for three months in 2002 after failing a doping test. She tested positive for the banned substance coramine glucose, blaming the French team doctors for giving her a drug that is available over the counter in France.
Sports management
In 2012, she took over the management of
Nathalie Moellhausen
Nathalie Moellhausen (born 1 December 1985) is an épée fencer who initially represented Italy and now represents Brazil. In 2019, she became her country's first-ever individual World Champion in épée at the Championships held in Budapest, H ...
, a native of Italy and competing under the colors of Brazil, forming a group also composed of two fencing masters,
Daniel Levavasseur and
Michel Sicard
Michel may refer to:
* Michel (name), a given name or surname of French origin (and list of people with the name)
* Míchel (nickname), a nickname (a list of people with the nickname, mainly Spanish footballers)
* Míchel (footballer, born 1963), ...
, the latter having both coached Flessel.
Sports consultant and other activities
Media and television
In 2008, Laura Flessel was a columnist for the daily newspaper Aujourd'hui Sport.
She was a contestant on the
third season of ''
Danse avec les stars''.
During the
2016 Summer Olympics
The 2016 Summer Olympics ( pt, Jogos Olímpicos de Verão de 2016), officially the Games of the XXXI Olympiad ( pt, Jogos da XXXI Olimpíada) and also known as Rio 2016, was an international multi-sport event held from 5 to 21 August 20 ...
she commented, on
Canal +
Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or river engineering, engineered channel (geography), channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport watercraft, vehicles (e.g. ...
, the
opening ceremony
An opening ceremony, grand opening, or ribbon-cutting ceremony marks the official opening of a newly-constructed location or the start of an event. with
Stéphane Guy and
Joris Sabi, the
fencing events with
Frédéric Roullier
Frédéric and Frédérick are the French language, French versions of the common male given name Frederick (given name), Frederick. They may refer to:
In artistry:
* Frédéric Back, Canadian award-winning animator
* Frédéric Bartholdi, French ...
and the
closing ceremony
An opening ceremony, grand opening, or ribbon-cutting ceremony marks the official opening of a newly-constructed location or the start of an event. with
Julien Fébreau and
Jean Galfione
Jean Galfione (born 9 June 1971) is a French retired pole vaulter. During his pole vaulting career, he won at least one medal in each of the following major international competitions - the Olympic Games, the World Championships, the World Indo ...
.
Community life
She is ambassador of the
AMREF Flying Doctors' Stand Up for African Mothers campaign, the godmother of
Handicap International
Humanity & Inclusion (formerly Handicap InternationalOn January 24th 2018, the global Handicap International network changed its name and became Humanity & Inclusion. This was done "to communicate more effectively on the diversity of its activiti ...
, and Ambassador of
Plan France. His long-term project is to bring fencing to disadvantaged cities and places. She is also a goodwill ambassador for UNESCO where she promotes tolerance in sports.
She founded the association Ti'Colibri which aims to promote fencing. Thanks to its action, it has been able to offer means and equipment to clubs with few resources.
Political career
During the two-rounds of the
French presidential election of 2017, she was one of the sixty active or retired sportsmen who signed a call to vote for
Emmanuel Macron
Emmanuel Macron (; born 21 December 1977) is a French politician who has served as President of France since 2017. ''Ex officio'', he is also one of the two Co-Princes of Andorra. Prior to his presidency, Macron served as Minister of Econ ...
on 7 May 2017 in the second round of the presidential election "so that sport remains an area of freedom, equality and fraternity."
On 17 May 2017, she was appointed Minister of Sports in the
First Philippe government
The first Philippe government ( French: ''Gouvernement Édouard Philippe I'') was the fortieth government of the French Fifth Republic. It was the first government formed by Édouard Philippe under President Emmanuel Macron, prior to the 2017 le ...
, under the presidency of Emmanuel Macron, a position she held in the
Second Philippe government
The second Philippe government ( French: ''Gouvernement Édouard Philippe II'') was the forty-first government of the French Fifth Republic. It was the second government formed by Édouard Philippe under President Emmanuel Macron, following the ...
, which was formed on 21 June 2017.
The government's second most popular minister at the end of 2017, she is notably responsible for preparing the organization of the
2024 Summer Olympics
The 2024 Summer Olympics (french: Jeux olympiques d'été de 2024), officially the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad (french: Jeux de la XXXIIIe Olympiade, links=no) and also known as Paris 2024, is an upcoming international multi-sport event that is s ...
. At the beginning of 2018, she launched a campaign against discrimination in the sporting world, with as ambassadors
Antoine Griezmann
Antoine Griezmann (; born 21 March 1991) is a French professional footballer who plays as a forward for La Liga club Atlético Madrid and the France national team. A versatile player, Griezmann is known for his attacking, passing, and supportiv ...
,
Estelle Mossely
Estelle Mossely is a French professional boxer who has held the IBO female lightweight title since 2019. As an amateur, she won gold medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics and the 2016 World Championships. As of October 2022, she is ranked as the wo ...
,
Marie-Amélie Le Fur
Marie-Amélie Le Fur (; born 26 September 1988) is a French Paralympic athlete from Vendôme, Centre Region, competing in T44 sprint and F44 long jump events. Her left leg was amputated below the knee following a motor scooter accident in 2004 ...
,
Frédéric Michalak
Frédéric Michalak (born 16 October 1982) is a former French rugby union footballer. His early career was spent playing for his hometown team, Toulouse, in the Top 14 and in the Heineken Cup. He moved to South Africa to play for the Sharks in ...
,
Emmeline Ndongue and
Florent Manaudou
]
Florent Manaudou (; born 12 November 1990) is a French competitive swimming (sport), swimmer, an Olympic champion of the 50-meter freestyle at the 2012 London Olympics, and the younger brother of Laure Manaudou, a 2004 Olympic gold medalist i ...
.
Honours
* Summer Olympics
** Gold Medal in individual épée in 1996
** Gold Medal in team épée in 1996
** Silver Medal in individual épée in 2004
** Bronze Medal in individual épée in 2000
** Bronze Medal in team épée in 2004
* World Championships
** Gold Medal in individual épée in 1998
** Gold Medal in team épée in 1998
** Gold Medal in individual épée in 1999
** Gold Medal in team épée in 2005
** Gold Medal in team épée in 2008
** Silver Medal in team épée in 1995
** Silver Medal in individual épée in 2001
** Silver Medal in
2006 World Fencing Championships, team épée in 2006
** Bronze Medal in individual épée in 1995
** Bronze Medal in team épée in 1997
** Bronze Medal in individual épée in 2005
** Bronze Medal in
individual épée in 2006
* World Cup Fencing
** World Cup winner individual épée in 2002, 2003 and 2004
** World Cup runner-up individual épée in 1997
References
External links
"Laura Flessel-Colovic" ''
Time
Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...
'', 11 September 2000
"Laura Flessel-Colovic" n°30 on ''Times list of "100 Olympic Athletes To Watch" (2008)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Flessel, Laura
1971 births
French female foil fencers
French female épée fencers
Fencers at the 1996 Summer Olympics
Fencers at the 2000 Summer Olympics
Fencers at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Fencers at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Fencers at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Olympic fencers of France
Olympic gold medalists for France
Olympic silver medalists for France
Olympic bronze medalists for France
Living people
Guadeloupean female épée fencers
French people of Guadeloupean descent
Olympic medalists in fencing
Medalists at the 1996 Summer Olympics
Medalists at the 2000 Summer Olympics
Medalists at the 2004 Summer Olympics
European champions for France
Women government ministers of France
Mediterranean Games silver medalists for France
Competitors at the 2005 Mediterranean Games
21st-century French politicians
21st-century French women politicians
Black French sportspeople
Mediterranean Games medalists in fencing
Black French politicians
Guadeloupean female foil fencers