"I take the game it's too good, that's what makes the medal more beautiful.
I see people who are smiling, that's all to make me happy.
»Claire Bové cannot do more than a few meters without being stopped in Mantes-la-Jolie (Yvelines).
Especially by children who ask him for a photo, stars in their eyes.
All smiles, the 23-year-old Yvelinoise who won the silver medal at the Tokyo Olympic Games on July 29 in the light-weight two-pair rowing event, willingly poses alongside her young admirers.
“It's a chance, a privilege even to see her, ecstatic Titouan and Lucien, aged 12 and 11.
We do rowing in the same club and we dream of doing like her.
“From the top of her eight years, Elodie could not believe it either.
“It made me happy I tell myself that I took a picture with the best world champion.
“Coming especially for the occasion, her mother is also a fan of the rower.
"I am a native of Mantes, we live in the Mantois region so we are obviously very proud", smiles Sonia.
"Rowing makes you grow in sport and in life"
Trained at the Meulan Les Mureaux Hardricourt club, Claire Bové graduated from the Mantaise Sports Association (ASM) in rowing, alongside her father, a trainer.
Since her feat in Tokyo with her teammate Laura Tarantola, the club has been particularly in demand.
“Usually we do about thirty initiations during the summer, there we did 70, more than double, reports Frédéric Andolfi, president of ASM Aviron.
Registrations are off to a good start this year.
We had planned about fifty pre-registration forms for the whole day of the associations forum but we had already sold everything by the end of the morning.
"
Mantes-la-Jolie (Yvelines), this Saturday.
After being congratulated by local elected officials, Claire Bové went to meet the inhabitants who were delighted to pose with her.
In the afternoon, Claire Bové was congratulated with great pomp by the elected representatives of Mantois and Yvelines, with a giant screen bearing her effigy on the town hall square. What to challenge passers-by. Especially since the Olympic medalist took advantage of her intervention to praise the merits of her discipline. “Do whatever you feel like doing,” she advised local youth. Rowing makes you grow in sport and in life. I am very shy but little by little I manage to open up a lot more. There will always be someone to accompany you in training, we can see the sunsets and sunrises on the water… There is a really good atmosphere, we are sure to find friends. "
A motivating speech for those who still hesitated.
And all generations let themselves be convinced.
Malika, who has always dreamed of getting started, has decided to take the plunge this coming back to school.
“I want to take lessons with them, I find them very professional, we see that they have results, comments the 58-year-old Mantaise about ASM.
I think I would have signed up anyway, but it's true that the Olympic medal brings a plus, it's a source of pride.
"
The renovated nautical stadium?
This pride is also an opportunity to put on the carpet the modernization project of the nautical stadium, built in the 1970s. It is in particular a question of bringing it up to standards by renovating the building and creating a nearby accommodation. .
"We believe we have revived things from a sporting point of view, now things must be put in place, underlines the president of the club whose ambition is to grow.
Today, we have 120 licensees but we could reach 200 in two years.
If we have to go find other high-level coaches, we will.
"
In Mantes-la-Jolie, a fresco was painted with the effigy of Claire Bové, a rower in competition at the Tokyo Olympic Games.
Nationally, Mantes is the town that hosts the most rowing competitions, including the next French championships from September 14 to 18. No less than 5,000 rowers pass there each year. If the renovation project of the nautical stadium is indeed "under discussion" as confirmed by the mayor (LR) Raphaël Cognet, it is still necessary to find funding. “We will try to take advantage of the dynamics of Paris 2024, concludes the councilor. We will bring everyone together around the table to discuss it but for the moment we are at the stage of preparations, not decisions. "
