Laura Flessel-Colovic (born 6 November 1971 in Pointe-à-Pitre

Pointe-à-Pitre

Pointe-à-Pitre is the largest city of Guadeloupe, an overseas région and département of France located in the Lesser Antilles, of which it is a sous-préfecture, being the seat of the Arrondissement of Pointe-à-Pitre....

, Guadeloupe

Guadeloupe

Guadeloupe is an archipelago located in the Leeward Islands, in the Lesser Antilles, with a land area of 1,628 square kilometres and a population of 400,000. It is the first overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. As with the other overseas departments, Guadeloupe...

) is a French

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

 épée fencer

Fencing

Fencing, which is also known as modern fencing to distinguish it from historical fencing, is a family of combat sports using bladed weapons.Fencing is one of four sports which have been featured at every one of the modern Olympic Games...

. She is currently number one on the all-time list of French female Winter or Summer Olympic medal winners with five medals, two more than
those on joint second place: Micheline Ostermeyer

Micheline Ostermeyer

Micheline Ostermeyer was a French athlete and concert pianist.A great-niece of the French author Victor Hugo, and a niece of the composer Lucien Paroche, Ostermeyer, who was Jewish, was born in Rang-du-Fliers, Pas-de-Calais...

, Marielle Goitschel

Marielle Goitschel

Marielle Goitschel is a former French alpine skier. Marielle is the younger sister of Christine Goitschel, another champion skier of the time, and the aunt of current speed skier Philippe Goitschel....

, Pascale Trinquet-Hachin, Perrine Pelen

Perrine Pelen

Perrine Pelen is a former alpine ski racer from France.-Biography:Born at Boulogne-Billancourt, she made her World Cup debut at age 16 in December 1976 and won three slalom races that 1977 season....

, Anne Briand-Bouthiaux, Marie-José Pérec

Marie-José Pérec

Marie-José Pérec is a French athlete, specialised in the 200 and 400 m, and a triple Olympic champion....

, Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli, Félicia Ballanger

Félicia Ballanger

Félicia Ballanger was a French racing cyclist.She won five world championships in the sprint and 500 m time trial. She was also a triple Olympic champion. She is tall and weighs .- Biography :...

 and Laure Manaudou

Laure Manaudou

Laure Manaudou |Rhône]]) is a French Olympic, world and European champion swimmer. She is the daughter of a French father and a Dutch mother.- 2004 Olympics :...

. She is married and has one daughter.

Honours

• Summer Olympics
  • Gold Medal in individual épée in 1996
  • Gold Medal in team épée in 1996
  • Silver Medal in individual épée in 2004
  • Bronze Medal in individual épée in 2000
  • Bronze Medal in team épée in 2004

• World Championships
  • Gold Medal in individual épée in 1998
  • Gold Medal in team épée in 1998
  • Gold Medal in individual épée in 1999
  • Gold Medal in team épée in 2005
  • Gold Medal in team épée in 2008
  • Silver Medal in team épée in 1995
  • Silver Medal in individual épée in 2001
  • Silver Medal in team épée in 2006
    2006 World Fencing Championships
    The 2006 World Fencing Championships were held at the Oval Lingotto in Turin, Italy. The event took place from September 29 to October 7, 2006.-Medal table:-Men's events:-Women's events:-References:*...
    
    
  • Bronze Medal in individual épée in 1995
  • Bronze Medal in team épée in 1997
  • Bronze Medal in individual épée in 2005
  • Bronze Medal in individual épée in 2006
    2006 World Fencing Championships
    The 2006 World Fencing Championships were held at the Oval Lingotto in Turin, Italy. The event took place from September 29 to October 7, 2006.-Medal table:-Men's events:-Women's events:-References:*...
    
    

• World Cup Fencing
  • World Cup winner individual épée in 2002 and 2003
  • World Cup runner-up individual épée in 1997

Controversy

She was banned for three months in 2002 after failing a doping test. She tested positive for the banned substance coramine glucose. She blamed the French team doctors for giving her a drug that is available over the counter in France.

External links

• "Laura Flessel-Colovic", Time
  Time (magazine)
  Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
  
  , September 11, 2000
• "Laura Flessel-Colovic", n°30 on Time’s list of "100 Olympic Athletes To Watch" (2008)