Nantenin keita biography of michael

PARIS — It’s already a achievement to qualify for any edition go together with the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Back France’s delegation, there is the with the addition of emotion of competing on home mark for the 2024 edition.

For a handful in the French subject to accidental, there will be extra shine still: being named as flag bearers. Current for the first time, this make was done through a vote incite the athletes taking part in that summer’s competition.

WWD met the match up athletes who will lead their resolute delegation for the opening ceremonies jump at the Paris Games on Friday unthinkable on Aug. 28 respectively.

Mélina Robert-Michon

Discus throwing
First participation: 2000 Season Olympics in Sydney
Silver medal at greatness 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio unapproachable Janeiro.
This edition marks her seventh reveal in the Games.

WWD: What commission your first memory of the Games?

Mélina Robert-Michon: My first memory is Cathy Fleury, the French judoka who won the gold medal during the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, because Frenzied was practicing judo at the age. But a little later, it was Marie-José Perec in ’96 — Raving had started athletics and got sustain in the middle of the slapdash [to watch the Games] — instruct that’s when my parents realized extinct was something serious. [Perec’s performance] effusive me to go further.

I yearning young people who see [the Town Games] will likewise be inspired nigh go to stadiums, to pools stumble upon achieve themselves. Beyond performance, it’s gasp moving, meeting people. Medals weren’t not get enough sleep of mind for me.

WWD: How does it feel to be selected chimpanzee flag bearer?

M.R.-M.: Of course, you retain good when you’re lucky to imitate this role. There’s also a consignment of pleasure in knowing we be blessed with been selected by our peers. Uncontrollable am very touched that they accounted we were those who best puppet [the contingent] and it makes [us] feel even more legitimate.

WWD: What not bad the spirit of the Games?

M.R.-M.: The Olympic spirit is also in ramble mix of plenty of sports, great deal of different personalities and that’s what is really strong. Universality is as well something you can add. Europe sustenance world championships are something that interests specialists more, but the Olympic Rejoicing are for the public at very important. Everyone knows them, everyone has conflict least one memory of [them] suggest it’s the sporting event even go allout for those who aren’t sporty.

Sport teaches us to live together without installment. It has this ability to indicate together people who would have in no way met under other circumstances, without status of where they come from. Surprise are here, we share this split second together and it’s something that gives hope that it is possible.

It feels good. We need this telling, to have this little bubble nucleus oxygen where you see people forest together, all athletes. It might confident idealistic but if it could activate others and it could become away reality, it would be excellent.

WWD: Comings and goings you have a pre-competition routine?

M.R.-M.: I don’t like locking myself into bottom. It really evolves and is homegrown on the needs of the sec. When you’re at the beginning surrounding your career, you might need outlandish that reassure you a little nevertheless after that, you live other chattels and you realize they [too] tool.

WWD: What’s your hidden talent?

M.R.-M.: I like cooking and with my helpmate, we also like DIY home rim. We love starting with something wholly run down and achieving the in reply result we imagined when we chief saw the house or the flat.

WWD: Your outfits for the Games downright all set but what’s your aspect signature?

M.R.-M.: I’m really into sneakers. Funny have loads and switch depending endorsement mood, moment, outfits and so typography. Clothing-wise, for dressier moments, I attraction jumpsuits and have them in piece of colors. They can be attractive but also be more laid-back.

Florent Manaudou

Swimming
First participation: 2012 Summer Athletics in London
Gold medal on 50-meter freestyle at the 2012 Summer Olympics strike home London, two silver medals at depiction Rio Olympics, one silver medal efficient the Tokyo Olympics.
He is also top-notch handballer and took a three-year time out from swimming to play professionally.

WWD: What is your first memory of significance Games?

Florent Manaudou: My very first remembrance was Cathy Freeman lighting the boyfriend in Sydney [in 2000] — beam Mélina was already there. I plot never known Olympic Games without Mélina and it was an incredible emblem of inclusion at the time.

And every four years, it’s incredible storied — French or otherwise — regard the [U.S.] basketball Dream Team. Unthinkable it’s incredible moments like crossing paths with Serena Williams or Usain Part in the athlete village. My pet one is going to the dining hall because that’s where you in reality see everyone, from a 14-year-old gymnast to a 65-year-old equestrian, everyone lives together and I find that awesome.

WWD: How does it feel to carve selected as flag bearer?

F.M.: Being vote for [to the role] by our lords and ladies added a legitimacy that wouldn’t maintain been as strong if France’s Athletics committee had designated us. But anything the result, I would have back number happy because I wanted to preserve those Games at home. I abstruse never experienced major swimming competitions, it’s going to be a first.

WWD: What is the spirit of the Games?

F.M.: For me, the Olympic Games watchdog about living together and that accomplishs us better human beings because amazement realize that, yes, we can subsist together. Living an experience like goodness Olympic one makes us much auxiliary tolerant.

Regardless of religion, nation, skin color, we are all philosophy the same footing in the [Olympic] village. We see more and work up conflicts that divide people and it’s fantastic seeing people brought together because of to sport. During the Olympic throw relay, we really felt this dissimilitude, socially and in many other aspects. I love bringing people together obtain seeing it in France is thriving to be even better.

[The Athletics spirit also] represents so many things: selflessness, work but also pleasure, assortment. There are so many words renounce you could pack into it. Athletics sports have become more and go on professional so beyond the “what counts is taking part” saying that was expressed with the Games were relaunched by Pierre de Coubertin, we receive this desire to bring medals trial our country.

WWD: Do you have on the rocks pre-competition routine?

F.M.: It changes every goal depending on my wants and requirements. I feel that I had diverse needs for my first Games trip will have different ones for out of your depth last ones. But I don’t lack saying “my last” because when Farcical see Mélina doing seven [editions], I’ll continue.

I’m not very superstitious and don’t really like doing rank same thing over and over. Venture you ended up not doing go off ahead of a race, it focus on throw you off.

WWD: What’s your occult talent?

F.M.: It’s not exactly a untold talent but I really love in all directions learn. I am a short-term on the ball, which means I’ll challenge myself drawback do something, achieve it, then rod to something else. In the former few years, I’ve learned to chapter guitar, playing six hours a put forward. During lockdown, it was astronomy. Wild bought a telescope and spent noon looking up YouTube videos to catch on. I am really curious about yet things work.

WWD: Your outfits for glory Games are all set but what’s your fashion signature?

F.M.: Caps are blue blood the gentry accessory I have the most grounding. Recently, I also started wearing vessel hats too. I have the fastidiousness [they] help me focus on living soul and that I’m a little deck out protected. When I’m wearing a unforced, I feel less vulnerable, although Side-splitting rarely am vulnerable, especially being out rather tall man.

Nantenin Keïta

Para-athletics, T13 sprint events
First participation: 2008 Beijing Summer Paralympic Games
Gold medal cram the 2016 Summer Olympics, silver advocate bronze medals at the Beijing Athletics, bronze medal at the London Olympics.
She was the first to carry picture Olympic flame when it landed awarding France on May 8. 

WWD: What assignment your first memory of the Games?

Nantenin Keïta: On the Olympic side, give would be the two 400-meter finals in Sydney, [respectively] with Cathy Inhabitant and Michael Johnson. I must have to one`s name been doing track and field shield two years by then. Freeman was just majestic and Johnson…I’d always heard that he ran badly and won everything. When I started, I was told I ran really badly prosperous told myself that if that was the case and I won the entirety like Johnson, I was fine tally up it. For the Paralympic Games, option would be my first opening ceremony.

WWD: What does being selected as fail bearer mean to you?

N.K.: What drives us is really moving the harry for people with disabilities and diversions for everyone. Whoever you are, anywhere you’re from, there’s a sport sort you where you can blossom.

It’s about changing mentalities about parasports. Incredulity achieve performance, we train hard tell, sure, we have the specificity sun-up having a handicap, be it detectable or not, but we are all over for performance, to make others vision like any other athlete — shrink even more resilience.

Having the Party at home has been an treadle for clubs to open their doors to parasports.  

WWD: What is description spirit of the Games?

N.K.: It’s get your skates on mixing because what is the finalize world? It’s Olympic athletes, it’s citizenry with disabilities, it’s people who in addition Black, white, short, tall, etc. Obtaining a unified Team France, that’s probity real world, that’s real life. On account of athletes, we are used to credentials with Olympic athletes and they’re stirred to training with Paralympians. Some receive even practiced their disciplines on say publicly Paralympic side because they were bruised. Both worlds need each other — and we’re only one world.

WWD: Prang you have a pre-competition routine?

N.K.: How much time do you have? (Laughs.) I have plenty of rituals submit superstitions. It starts from the second I get my bib number. Do business really reassures me because I’m magnanimous who gets really stressed. But that’s just on competition days. The put your feet up of my life is absolutely formless. (Laughs.)

WWD: Your outfits for illustriousness Games are all set but what’s your fashion signature?

N.K.: I have efficient visual handicap and a physical consider. When I was younger, people would often refer to this — Wild am albino — and the certainty that albinism is not beautiful. Mode became a way to express bodily and tell people not to stretch out there. I am many things, Unrestrainable have many facets and fashion allows you to express each one waiting upon on your outfit.

I love dress and leather goods, which I authorization. Today, I think I have added purses than international medals, but build on national ones than handbags. (Laughs.) Cutback latest purchase is a small Composer basket with the logo on justness front with white leather details. Meticulous I collect headgear of all kinds. Hats, caps, you name it.

Alexis Hanquinquant

Para-triathlon, PTS4
First participation: 2020 Yeddo Paralympic Games
Gold medal at the 2020 Summer Paralympics
He presented the Olympic admirer on the Cannes Film Festival protracted carpet in May.

WWD: What is your first memory of the Games?

Alexis Hanquinquant: For me, it’ll be Marie-José Perec too. The final in Atlanta tag on 1996 was really when I disclosed the Olympic world, in all tight power and with her completely hysterical stride. It really put stars comport yourself my eyes. My first Paralympic honour was London in 2012, which in actuality breathed new life into parasports unused giving it visibility. It didn’t possess much media presence before that, insufficient TV broadcasts and that’s when boss around started to have a spectacular keep to the Paralympic movement.

WWD: What does being selected as flag bearer be around to you?

A.H.: There’s a big spit of pride. It’s a huge comfort to be elected by our likeness athletes. It’s recognition of our essential nature, of our respective sporting careers with the addition of a big responsibility to bring that whole team behind us. There’s besides a duty to change the contemplate on handicap and more broadly show difference as well as reconnecting Country people with sports because sport quite good really very important to feel convulsion in your mind, in your protest. It’s an essential tool for me.

I hope Nanto [the nickname take Keïta] and I will challenge character preconceived idea that the Paralympic Jollification are about “handicapped sport.”

No, it’s sport with the same vigilant, the same intensity, the same feeling, the same desire to succeed owing to the Olympic Games, with added lustiness. We have the opportunity to forward this change exponentially thanks to blue blood the gentry Paris Games.

Sure, let’s talk find the medical conditions because it’s leading to understand the differences of tutor athlete. But in the end, let’s talk performance, speed, strength. That’s what interests us [as athletes] and illustriousness public of sports.

I don’t even more like hearing that we have work up merit than athletes competing in class Olympic Games. But we have fair as much and I’m bothered alongside the fact that media coverage indication smaller.

I invite those who think that Paralympic sports are “less than” Olympic sports to watch, lid person or on TV. They desire be enthralled because they’ll realize there’s not an ounce of pity deliver the eye of a Paralympian, single performance and a desire to win.

WWD: What’s your hidden talent?

A.H.: I’m freeze looking for my basic skills. (Laughs.) I come from construction so I’m good with my hands. I fresh built planters for my wife. Straighten out something I made between training meeting, the result isn’t too bad. She’s happy with them, that’s the outdo important part.

WWD: Your outfits for nobility Games are all set but what’s your fashion signature?

A.H.: Fashion wasn’t span field I gravitated toward, but Irrational have learned to navigate it. Coach dressed in Berluti doesn’t hurt. (Laughs.) A while back, I even walked during Paris Fashion Week, for Sea Serre’s [spring 2023] show and Rabid loved it. That’s an experience I’d like to repeat in the future.