EPEE Laurence

Personal Information

Residence Paris, FRA

Occupation Athlete, Marketing, Public Relations Professional

Languages English, French

Higher education Law - Paris-Sorbonne University: France

License number 15111990001

Club

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Sport Specific Information

When and where did you begin this sport? She began fencing at age six in Paris, France. "As soon as I started fencing, I wanted to start competing. I wanted to be like [French fencer] Laura Flessel."

Why this sport? She initially began fencing with the foil before switching to epee at age 13. "With the foil I was doing a lot of non-valid touches. At least with the epee all touches are valid, and I thought it was cool. Fencing is a sport in which, before facing a rival, you need to be concentrated on what you are doing. I just fell in love with the sport."

Club / Team Clichy Escrime: Paris, FRA

Name of coach Jean-Francois Di Martino [national], FRA

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

Handedness Right

General Interest

Memorable sporting achievement Achieving her first World Cup podium when she finished second in May 2018 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (escrime-ffe.fr, 07 May 2018)

Most influential person in career French fencer Laura Flessel-Colovic, who influenced her to focus on the epee discipline. (leparisien.fr, 17 Jun 2018)

Hero / Idol French fencer Laura Flessel-Colovic. (lemondelescrime.wordpress.com, 20 Jun 2018)

Awards and honours She was flag bearer for France at the opening ceremony of the 2017 World University Games in Taipei, Chinese Taipei. (france-u-taipei2017.com, 17 Aug 2017)

Ambitions To compete at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. (Instagram profile, 12 Mar 2021)

Other information HERITAGE
She was born in Paris, France, to a family of Cameroon and French Guiana origins. Her parents moved the family to the overseas region of French Guiana when she was age 10, and she continued fencing there at the Geldar Kourou club, where she switched disciplines from foil to epee. She returned to mainland France at age 14. "I am a Parisienne at heart. My family, my friends, my whole life has always been in Paris. I never really wanted to leave in my youth." (Facebook page, 18 Apr 2019; lemondelescrime.wordpress.com, 20 Jun 2018; guyane2014-2016.org, 02 Nov 2015; leparisien.fr, 11 Dec 2012)

ATTACKING STYLE
In 2017 she said that she prefers an offensive style of fencing. "I am very explosive and fast. I am an attacker, who likes to move forward. But sometimes I don't prepare my attack well, and that's where I can sometimes lose a match and take hits." (eurosport.fr, 30 Jun 2017)

OCCUPATION
Since June 2020 she has worked as a marketing editor for French oil company Total. She is also a representative for women's epee at the French High Level Athlete's Commission, a position which she has held since October 2020. Previously, she has worked as a communications officer for a music company and as an intern at a French TV and radio station. (LinkedIn profile, 23 Apr 2021)

FURTHER EDUCATION
From 2014 to 2017 she studied journalism at the Journalist Training Centre [CFJ] in Paris, France. Earlier, from 2013 to 2014, she completed an online course in investigation techniques with the Normill School of Private Investigators and Detectives in Hornchurch, England. (LinkedIn profile, 23 Apr 2021; eurosport.fr, 30 Jun 2017)