He marked the history of sports commentary by punctuating with his cries of joy (or his strokes of limestone) the Olympic titles of Marie-José Pérec, Jean Galfione or Renaud Lavillenie.
Among others.
After 33 years of career, Patrick Montel, 67, sports journalist in the public service, left the air this Sunday evening to retire.
Well, not quite, if we are to believe what he told the Parisian: “After that, I don't yet know what I'm going to do.
I did not approach anyone.
My passion for sport is there, intact… ”
But this Sunday, it was his moment: France Televisions reserved for him the end of emission of his very last “Stage 2”: “My problem is that I do not know how to manage my emotions, he had warned.
So I hope to stay worthy… ”And he was.
"Very proud to say bye bye to you"
At 8:50 p.m., he made his entrance with a smile on the set: “I have my contract of confidence, I am hypersere… I am very proud to have taken part in this program, very proud to say
bye bye
.
»Then follows a magneto of his best moments.
👏🔝 @LaProlon is undoubtedly the soundtrack of our athletic memories.
For 34 years, he shared with emotion his love for sport on the antennas of France Télévisions.
The journalist said his farewell tonight in # Stade2.
pic.twitter.com/XaCn6eO87w
- France tv sport (@francetvsport) November 8, 2020
His enthusiasm is such that seeing these images again gives chills, while in a window on the screen, we see him hilariously looking at himself, a shy young journalist, during his first sets.
Then again parade his vocal and physical prowess at major events… Basketball, football, athletics: he commented on everything.
The pearl will come with the races for the Olympic titles won by Marie-José Pérec in Atlanta in 1996, carried by a commentator in a trance: "We cannot separate the voice of Patrick Montel from my races", smiles the champion during a interview.
A moment of emotion of a different kind when Montel evokes Marieke Vervoort, quadriplegic athlete and disabled sports champion to whom he was close, and who chose to be euthanized in 2019.
"All these athletes, we love them, launches the commentator, continuing: We have not seen time go by, because passion is impermeable to the passage of time.
»And the journalist concludes, by revealing his t-shirt which bears the sentence
So maybe?
: “It's the summary of an existence.
I'm closing a page, I'm going to open a new book ... "