FAVA Alex

Personal Information

Residence Paris, FRA

Occupation Athlete, Communications Professional

Languages English, French

Higher education Law - University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne: Paris, FRA

License number 23041989000

Club

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Sport Specific Information

When and where did you begin this sport? He began fencing at age five at the MUC club in Montpellier, France, under the guidance of master at arms Yves Barthelemy.

Why this sport? He followed a friend into the sport. "He quit later but I kept going. It is a discipline that allows me to perform within a framework. There was a lot of fun but also respect towards the rival and the master of arms. It was actually him, Yves Barthelemy, who made me love the sport. His teachings were very playful rather than militaristic like many other masters at the time. It was thanks to him that I enjoyed going to training."

Club / Team Cercle d'Escrime de Saint-Gratien: France

Name of coach Hugues Obry [national], FRA; Benoit Janvier [club], FRA

Training Regime He trains at the National Institute of Sport, Expertise and Performance [INSEP] in Paris, France.

Handedness Right

General Interest

Nicknames Favelas (escrime-saintgratien.org, 2019)

Memorable sporting achievement Winning gold in the team epee at the 2022 World Championships in Cairo, Egypt. (groupebpce.com, 17 May 2023)

Most influential person in career His first coach Yves Barthelemy. (groupebpce.com, 17 May 2023)

Injuries In June 2021 he underwent surgery on his right shoulder. (Instagram profile, 16 Jun 2021)

He sustained a wrist injury after colliding with fellow Frenchman Yannick Borel during a bout at the 2015 World University Games in Gwangju, Republic of Korea. (leparisien.fr, 11 May 2018)

In 2014 he sustained a cerebral haemorrhage after a fall. (leparisien.fr, 11 May 2018)

Ambitions To compete at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. (groupebpce.com, 17 May 2023)

Other information OCCUPATION
He balances his career as an athlete with his job as a communications officer for a bank in France. "People think that [high-level athletes] are rolling in cash, that they automatically find a job in their sport once their career is finished. Neither is true for me. I would not be able to continue without my employment. We cannot compare with the Italian or Korean fencers who are paid by their federations to do their sport. They live off fencing because it is their job. But we do not." (BRED Banque Facebook page, 17 May 2019; leparisien.fr, 11 May 2018; LinkedIn profile, 01 Jan 2018; celsalab.fr, 08 Dec 2017)

FURTHER EDUCATION
After finishing a bachelor's degree in law in 2011, he spent two years studying at the CFJ journalism school in Paris, France. He then gained entry into the ESCP Europe business school, where he completed a master's degree in management. (LinkedIn profile, 29 Apr 2021; celsalab.fr, 08 Dec 2017)