The smile in the voice as on the screen.
This Monday morning, Maxine has the sparkling tone by answering our questions, after having won "Koh-Lanta: secret weapons" Friday evening on TF 1. This former gymnast and diving champion ended her sports career after a burn -all in full preparation for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Since becoming a sports journalist, she divides her time between Marseille, where she lives with her companion, the tennis player Benjamin Bonzi, and Paris where she works for the Sport channel in France.
How was the reunion evening for the final with the other candidates?
MAXINE.
Obviously, there are some adventurers with whom it is more tense, but overall, it went very well.
Do you regret that there are still tensions today?
Definitely.
I find it a pity.
There are those who accept that it is a game and that we have to eliminate people over the weeks and others who accept it a little less.
Afterwards, I can't blame them because I am not in their situation, even if I think that I would have taken a step back, having already experienced a lot of failures in my life.
Your best victory in "Koh-Lanta" is that of the posts?
Obviously, because it is a mythical event.
I approached this ordeal differently from the others, it was impossible to lose it.
How did you manage to concentrate?
Before the event, I thought I was going to be able to rebuild my whole life in my head and I quickly realized that it was impossible because it dispersed me too much.
Suddenly, for more than two hours, I repeated “Mum, Dad, Alex, Ben and Laure”.
Your family, your companion and Laure your adventure friend ...
I had promised him to tear everything up on the posts.
It made sense to win for her.
“Koh-Lanta”, is it easier to live it together, as was the case for you with Laure?
Yes, this adventure was incredible, all the more so because I met Laure and we did a little bit of the 400 moves.
We played like crazy from start to finish.
On my own, I wouldn't have gotten that far.
In orientation, when you realize that you will not be on the poles together, how did you feel?
It was horrible.
We watched this episode together at her house and we cried like madeleines.
I felt like I was losing a little part of me.
When she gives me that last hug and says "Promise me you'll tear it all up" it breaks my heart.
What will you do with the 100,000 euros?
I would first like to take my family on a trip to Costa Rica.
We will see when can we organize this.
And the rest ?
I would like to use part of it to put a contribution in an apartment.
Then I would like to create my own shows with sportsmen.
I have a lot of things in mind, we'll have to sort it out.
What was the most difficult to deal with when you returned to France?
I couldn't sleep anymore.
I was doing sleepless night on sleepless night.
I had a really bad neck pain.
When I got home, I thought that lying in my bed would be okay, but not at all!
I had to have a few small appointments with the physiotherapist to make things better.
How did you experience the dissemination of this "Koh-Lanta"?
Very good !
I watched a lot of episodes with my darling, others with Laure, Arnaud, Jonathan and Lucie, a lot also with my parents, we had a good laugh.
Did you expect very harsh comments on social media?
Yes, we know very well that the strategy is struggling to be accepted by some viewers.
I take a lot of distance from that, so I lived it well.
What are your plans today?
Create programs with athletes where we go a little outside the framework of sport.
Continue my live “Phoenix” every Sunday on Instagram to talk about resilience in sport.
These are subjects that are close to my heart, I would like us to talk more about these slightly taboo questions, that we value failure instead of only valuing victory.
If we offer you another "Koh-Lanta", will you leave?
I do not know.
You still have to recover from this adventure!
And mine was so perfect that it's hard to walk away thinking we couldn't do better.
Afterwards, it remains "Koh-Lanta" ... In fact if someone offers it to me, I take my bag and I leave.
What can we wish you for the future?
May I continue to flourish in my profession.
I would very much like to be a journalist in Paris 2024, it will give me the opportunity at least to do the Olympics differently.
That with Benjamin everything rolls like that rolls right now, and enjoy the family.