Sophie Kamoun

Last updated
Sophie Kamoun
Personal information
Full nameSophie Marie Reine Kamoun
National teamFlag of France.svg  France
Born (1967-06-08) 8 June 1967 (age 56)
Sport
Sport Swimming
College team UC Santa Barbara Gauchos
CoachGregg Wilson
Medal record
Representing Flag of France.svg France
Mediterranean Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1983 Casablanca 100m freestyle
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg1983 Casablanca4x100m freestyle relay
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1991 Athens 50m freestyle
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg1983 Casablanca200m freestyle
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg1991 Athens100m freestyle

Sophie Marie Reine Kamoun (born 8 June 1967) is a French former swimmer who competed in the 1984 Summer Olympics.

Contents

Early life and Olympics

Kamoun, the daughter of French Olympic swimmer Marc Kamoun, was born on 8 June 1967. She joined swimming club CS Clichy 92 and saw success in 1983 where she won the French 50 m freestyle and a French relay title. She later competed at the 1983 Mediterranean Games in Casablanca and won the 100 m freestyle and the 4 × 100 m freestyle relay.

Kamoun represented France at the 1984 Summer Olympics. She qualified for the B Final in the 100 m freestyle and finished 13th overall. [1] She also was on France's 4 × 100 m freestyle relay team and finished 8th.

Post-Olympic life

Kamoun enrolled at the University of California, Santa Barbara and was a student-athlete on the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos women's swim team. She competed with the Gauchos from 1987 to 1989 and was named a two-time All-American as part of the Gauchos 200 and 800 freestyle relay teams. [2]

In 1993, Kamoun retired from individual swims and was credited with 26 French swimming titles throughout her career. [3] The following year, Francis Luyce, the president of the French Swimming Federation, brought Kamoun on to handle communications. [4] She later became a communications director at Nike, Inc. in France. [3]

Kamoun was awarded the Knight rank of the Ordre national du Mérite in October 2013. [5] She has stayed involved with swimming, leading a press agency and working with Charlotte Bonnet, Fantine Lesaffre, Mehdy Metella, and Maxime Grousset. [6] [7] She has worked to teach children how to swim. [8]

Personal life

Kamoun met Stephen Roche, the 1987 Tour de France winner, at the 2001 Tour de France and they later began a relationship. [9] The couple moved to Paris in summer of 2002 and live with Kamoun's son from a previous relationship. [9]

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References

  1. "Women's 100 Free" . The Tampa Tribune . 30 July 1984. Retrieved 21 October 2021 via Newspapers.com.
  2. "UCSB Swimming & Diving Record Book" (PDF). UC Santa Barbara Gauchos . August 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  3. 1 2 Bardot, Alexandre (26 December 2001). "Sophie Kamoun vingt ans de fidélité". Le Parisien (in French). Paris . Retrieved 18 October 2021.
  4. "Championnats de France. Sophie Kamoun : "Rennes, mes meilleurs championnats"". maville.com (in French). 14 April 2013. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  5. "Décret du 14 novembre 2012 portant promotion et nomination". Légifrance (in French). 14 November 2012. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
  6. Cohen, Jonathan (27 April 2020). "Le sport aura encore plus sa place". French Swimming Federation (in French). Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  7. "Lancement du programme "Nageur et Citoyen"". French Swimming Federation (in French). 23 April 2019. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  8. David, Romain (29 April 2019). "Des champions de natation apprennent aux jeunes à nager : "C'est leur rôle de profiter de leur notoriété pour défendre une cause"". Europe 1 (in French). Retrieved 18 October 2021.
  9. 1 2 Caden, Sarah (7 January 2007). "Tour winner Roche's hell at career end". Irish Independent. Dublin . Retrieved 18 October 2021.