Jean-François Lamour

Jean-François Lamour (born 2 February 1956, Paris) is a French former fencer and current politician and cabinet minister. As a fencer, Lamour has made multiple athletic achievements, the most note-worthy being making world championship in 1987. He won one bronze, two silver, and two gold medals in sabre Olympic events between 1984 and 1988.[1][2]

Jean-François Lamour
Personal information
Born (1956-02-02) 2 February 1956
Paris, France
Spouse(s)Dr. Isabelle Spennato
Sport
SportFencing
Medal record
Men's fencing
Representing  France
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1984 Los Angeles Individual sabre
Gold medal – first place 1988 Seoul Individual sabre
Silver medal – second place 1984 Los Angeles Sabre team
Bronze medal – third place 1992 Barcelona Individual sabre
Bronze medal – third place 1992 Barcelona Sabre team
Mediterranean Games
Silver medal – second place1983 CasablancaIndividual sabre

Retiring, he entered politics serving as the sports and youth counsellor to the Mayor of Paris from 1993 to 1995. In 2002, he became the minister of sport, and in 2004, he was given responsibility for youth in addition to this.

He's married to Dr. Isabelle Spennato, a former French fencer and current president of the French Fencing Federation.

Athletic career

Lamour started learning fencing at eight years old, his first success coming later in 1971, when he was 15 years old. That year, he won the French junior championship in sabre fencing.

4 years later, Lamour reached semifinals at the 1975 World Championship in Bucharest.

He went on to set a national record, winning the Champion of France title 13 times between 1977 and 1992.

In the 1980s, Lamour returned empty-handed from the Olympic Games in Moscow. He was the only member of the French team to return home without a medal.

In 1983, Lamour returned again to the World Championship -this time in Vienna - and placed fifth. He also competed at the 1983 Mediterranean Games where he won a silver medal in the individual sabre event. In Lausanne in 1987, he became World Champion.[3]

He began training under new coach László Szepesi, who came from Hungary to head the French national team.

Lamour won gold at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Days later, he fenced in the team tournament that saw France win an Olympic silver medal.

In 1988, Lamour was awarded the Master of Saber prize. Several months later, he won a second Olympic gold medal in Seoul. He was appointed France's Minister of Sports in 2002.

References
  1. "Olympics Statistics: Jean-François Lamour". databaseolympics.com. Archived from the original on 2012-10-19. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  2. "Jean-François Lamour". sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 2011-05-18. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  3. "Olympedia – Jean-François Lamour". www.olympedia.org. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
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