Laura Flessel-Colovic

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. She also trains within the INSEP, 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.[8] This bronze medal is accompanied by a silver medal in the team event, which was defeated 45 to 44 by Hungary. Her teammates were Valérie Barlois, Sophie Moressee and Sangita Tripathi.[9]

After her gold medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics and her victory at 1998 World Cup, she became the eighth French fencer, and first woman, to win the Olympic and World Champion titles.[10] She is one of the favorites for the 2000 Summer Olympics 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[11]

The 2008 Summer Olympics, 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 (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 in Plovdiv[12] and a failure at the World Championships in Antalya where she lost f in quarter final against Lyubov Shutova 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.[13] On 14 May 2012, Laura Flessel is officially designated flag bearer of the French delegation for the London Olympics.[14] In her final competition, she defeated Courtney Hurley (15-12) before losing to Simona Gherman (No. 4 worldwide) 15–13. She ends her career at the age of 40.[15]

Laura Flessel was banned for three months in 2002 after failing a doping test.[16] 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.[17]

In 2012, she took over the management of Nathalie Moellhausen, 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, the latter having both coached Flessel.[18]

Laura Flessel in 2012

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.[19]

During the 2016 Summer Olympics she commented, on Canal +, the opening ceremony with Stéphane Guy and Joris Sabi, the fencing events with Frédéric Roullier and the closing ceremony with Julien Fébreau and Jean Galfione.[20]

In 2012, she participated in season 3 of Danse avec les stars (the French version of Dancing with the Stars) with her partner Grégoire Lyonnet but got eliminated in week 3, finishing 9th out of 10.

She is ambassador of the AMREF Flying Doctors' Stand Up for African Mothers campaign, the godmother of Handicap International, and Ambassador of Plan France.[21] 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.[22]

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.[23]