Marie-José Pérec is now part of the walls of INSEP (National Institute of Sport, Expertise and Performance). The triple Olympic champion was honored this Friday within this national institute which hosts the high level of French sports, on the outskirts of Paris, by giving her name to the brand new connected athletics track. A huge photo was also installed at the end of the 100m straight.
This is not the first time that the Guadeloupean has been honored in this way, but the fact of receiving this recognition in this temple of French sport, where she was a resident in her early days, greatly moved her.
It touches me ! If I had had a photo like that of Colette Besson at the finish (400m gold medalist at the Mexico Olympics, Editor’s note), I think it would have inspired me even more. I think it’s magnificent that it happens in the year of the Games and that we can have such a beautiful setting.
Recognizing that she was not always “easy to manage”, the Guadeloupean also spoke during her speech about the times spent at INSEP, difficult at the time, given the uprooting with her too distant archipelago.
When I was here, I often thought about going home, because it was gray and I longed for the Guadeloupe sun. We had telephone booths, I didn’t have a lot of money and I can tell you that the small coins went down quickly. We had time to shed a tear and say ‘I was wrong, I want to go back’, but I didn’t have the money for the ticket. That’s why there’s a lot of emotion, it reminds us of all that.
“Marie-Jo”, as obvious
Crowned in Barcelona over 400m and in Atlanta with the legendary 200m – 400m double, “Marie-Jo” is undoubtedly one of the greatest figures on the French track, if not the greatest. For the director general of INSEP, the choice of his name was obvious and Fabien Canu assures that he had no difficulty convincing his board of directors.
Obviously given her career, what she represents, because she is an icon of French sport. She accepted with great emotion, which surprised me a little. He is someone of great sensitivity, who is adorable, someone remarkable sportingly, but also humanly.
In the crowd this Friday, many beautiful people made the trip. Particularly in the West Indian ranks, sprinter Christine Aaron was moved by the tribute paid to her compatriot.
This touches me, because she is a Guadeloupean. We hope that the athletes who will walk this track will give them the energy to accomplish what they have to accomplish.
The feeling was the same, as were the hopes raised, for Thomas Jordier, an athlete still practicing, over the same distance as Marie-José Pérec, the 400m, and with whom he shares his Guadeloupean origins.
When we are West Indian, we are very happy to have figures like that who represent us. These are examples that can bring great things to French sport and especially to athletics.
Four months before the Olympics, let’s hope that the victorious image of the immense champion Marie-José Pérec will give golden ambitions to French athletes, on this brand new track, geared towards Olympic dreams.
2024-03-22 18:35:55
#INSEP #athletics #track #bears #MarieJosé #Pérec
