Marie-José Pérec
Marie-José Pérec is a French sprinter who won Olympic gold in the 400 metres in 1992 and in both the 200 and 400 metres in 1996.
1992 Summer Olympics: The Summer Olympic Games held in Barcelona, Spain, from July 25 to August 9, 1992. Pérec won her first Olympic gold medal there, in the 400 metres.
400 metres: A track race covering one complete lap of a standard outdoor running track. This was Pérec’s signature event, combining sprint speed with sustained effort.
Émile Idée: A French athletics coach associated with the development of elite French sprinters. Idée coached Pérec during the period when she rose to international prominence.
Olympic athletics: Track-and-field competitions held as part of the modern Olympic Games. Pérec’s three gold medals place her among the sport’s most accomplished Olympians.
1996 Summer Olympics: The Summer Olympic Games held in Atlanta, United States, from July 19 to August 4, 1996. She won both the 200 metres and 400 metres, completing an unprecedented Olympic double.
200 metres: A track race covering half a lap, with part of the distance run on a curve. Pérec’s 1996 gold demonstrated that her speed extended beyond her primary event.
Stéphane Diagana: A French hurdler who won the 400 metres hurdles at the 1997 World Championships. Like Pérec, Diagana became a leading figure in France’s 1990s athletics success.
Olympic record: The fastest or best performance recorded in an Olympic event. Her 400-metre performance in Atlanta set an Olympic record.
1991 World Championships in Athletics: The third edition of the World Championships in Athletics, held in Tokyo. Pérec’s 400-metre bronze marked her first major global championship medal.
Sprint (running): A running event in which athletes cover a fixed distance at high speed. Pérec’s Olympic career was built around the demands of sprint racing.