His sport, skeleton, requires going head first. To become one with your board and split the ice as quickly as possible until the finish line, a few turns lower. Agathe Bessard is only 22 years old and knows what she wants: to participate in the Beijing Winter Olympics from February 4 to 20. Suffice to say that she would like to embark on this adventure wholeheartedly and become the first Frenchwoman to participate in this event which can propel her to more than 135 km per hour. The only problem: she is the only high level athlete in this discipline which is extremely unknown in France, and there is a lack of investment behind her.
For a little over a month, the native of La Plagne (Savoie) has been asking for the support of the general public to believe in her Olympic dream.
“I try to get by with the money from the federation, the sponsors, my club and the station, but that's not enough.
So I got this idea.
History also that my parents have as little as possible to spend ”, tells this admirer of the decathlete Kevin Mayer.
8,000 euros expected for a budget of 90,000
In recent days, his participatory prize pool has been packed.
A few media relays were enough for the first level of 4,000 euros to be crossed.
At the time of writing, the one who is also a STAPS student in Grenoble (Isère) is at just under 5,700. The final goal?
8,000 euros.
This would represent about an eleventh of the budget needed this season (around 90,000 euros), enough to travel around the world, pay for his equipment and pay his new Latvian mentor, Lelde Prideluna.
Agathe Bessard finished 3rd at the Youth Olympic Games in 2016. REKORDS / VIESTURS LACIS
"I love to see her contradict the statistics, prove people wrong, and become a strong and independent woman," says her coach.
When I first heard of Agathe, I understood that she never takes anything for granted.
She managed to rank well against athletes (especially Americans) who had much more experience and resources to train (…).
She believes in herself and works hard: she understands that this is the only way to open the doors to success.
"
“In the bobsleigh, there was a French medal, and
Rasta Rockett
.
In skeleton, we don't have any of that ”
“It's pretty crazy this runaway. It is heartwarming to see that so many people care. For me, twenty euros is already enormous ”, launches the Frenchwoman, who hopes in the long term to popularize the skeleton. “In the bobsleigh, there was a French medal, and there is the film
Rasta Rockett
. In skeleton, we don't have any of that. So of course if I could win a medal that would be really great ”.
Bronze medalist at the 2016 Youth Olympic Games in Lillehammer, Agathe Bessard is the first French athlete to compete in international skeleton events.
European junior vice-champion 2019 and 2020 in skeleton, she has also joined the senior circuit, despite the difficulties related to the Covid-19.
To join Beijing, there is no qualifying tournament as such.
She is set to be among the top 25 athletes on the world circuit by Jan. 16, a ranking based on her seven best results of the year.
