Some call them “Twin Sisters”. Their coaches have called them “quilts, quilts”, a nod to their hair preferences. Moreover, the praises are starting to weave around Margot Boch, 21, and Carla Sénéchal, 24, who are competing this weekend at the Worlds in Germany and embody the new wave of French bobsleigh.
The duo, who met just two and a half years ago, dream of becoming the first French women’s crew to qualify for the Olympics next year in Beijing. Funny (young) ladies. The first is a bobsledder’s daughter, a bobsledder’s granddaughter and was tired of going solo on her sled. “It’s still a family affair,” smiles Margot. When I tried, it just happened… ”
The second grew tired of the straitjacket of the tartan. “After 16 years of athletics, I was a bit fed up, I got injured a lot and I wasn’t really progressing anymore,” says Carla. I never told anyone I wanted to bobsleigh but an athlete trainer recommended me to Margot as a pusher. She contacted me on Facebook. And There you go ! It was a new lease of life. “
Rather a breath of fresh air in a confidential discipline whose latest exploits date back to the unexpected bronze medal in the men’s four-man bob at the Nagano Olympics (1998). “At the start, we just wanted to move forward with our project without necessarily looking behind us,” explains Margot, a business student. We don’t see ourselves as pioneers. But the people around keep telling us that we can make history. “
“We don’t make a living, but we rushed headlong”
Since childhood, the two Savoyards have been attracted to rings. “In 2004, during the Athens Olympics, I was wearing a brassiere and panties in front of the mirror in my parents’ bedroom and I wanted to run like the sprinters”, laughs Carla. The Chambérienne saw herself Christine Arron then Allyson Félix when her friend from La Plagne, a former gymnast, imagined herself as Nadia Comaneci, or even Emilie Le Pennec (gold on uneven bars in 2004), according to the videos devoured on the Net. Summer dreams have become winter.
“Our start was difficult,” says Carla. We both had to manage to pay for our first year. The federation asked us to prove ourselves, then they followed us in our project (Editor’s note: in particular with a 14th place for their debut on the European circuit). Then we had partners. We are not making a living, but we went headlong! “
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Margot’s parents funded the purchase of a bobsleigh and performance skates. That is more than 50,000 euros for a 200 kg machine. “The equipment and the settings are one of the conditions for successfully winning medals,” Carla says. After that, Margot has to find the best lines and we have to be efficient at pushing. Despite her age, Margot is doing really well (Editor’s note: she has just been crowned U 23 world champion). It’s the push that goes a bit wrong, but we are really very young in this sport. Most of the girls are between 28 and 32 years old. You have to rehearse, gain experience. “
Schwarzenegger as a source of inspiration…
The “twin sisters” are at a good school. Their trainers Bruno Mingeon and Max Robert were part of the “tanned” quartet in Nagano. Not to mention a major asset named… Arnold Schwarzenegger! The ex-Mr. Olympia indeed inspires one of the young ladies in search of Olympus.
“OK, I’m a fan,” laughs Carla, who has to work on her strength. I admire what he has done in bodybuilding and bodybuilding. To join China in 2022, the tricolor pair is counting on their daily complicity and their ability to help each other. “Carla is very persistent,” says Margot. But then, she is complaining! The response is instantaneous. “Margot is determined … but stubborn,” says her comrade at stake. In short, neither of them ends wrongly …
In any case, the sparkling is clear-headed. “In the immediate future, we are aiming for at least a top 12 for our first Worlds by taking as much information as possible because it will be the same format as the Games (Editor’s note: four descents instead of two as they are used to) », Margot analyzes. “We will also try to have fun because that’s how we work, adds Carla. While having Beijing in mind. It is important to visualize your objective and to plan yourself in order to achieve it more easily … “
Article original de: www.leparisien.fr
