[LUM#5] My teacher, this champion

[LUM Magazine] - Published on May 9, 2017 in Science-Society, Sports

2010 European decathlon champion Romain Barras is enjoying a newfound peace of mind, far from competition but never far from the track. At 36, the Calais native is relishing his daily life as a professor at theUFR STAPS and the simple joys of practicing his sport as a hobby.

He has devoted 15 years of his life to what is perhaps the most demanding discipline in athletics: 10 events combining sprinting, long-distance running, jumping, and throwing, all to be completed in two days with a smile on his face. If possible... Such is the daily life of decathletes, these "strong men" as they are nicknamed, gods of the stadium who command respect. Rare indeed are the athletes capable of running 100 meters in 11 seconds, clearing 5 meters in the pole vault, and throwing the javelin over 65 meters... "It's a beautiful sport, heroic in some ways, but also very demanding, requiring enormous commitment and a great deal of self-sacrifice," sums up the athlete with the gentle gaze and physique of Hercules.

A life of suffering and deprivation punctuated by moments of intense joy, such as on that glorious day in the summer of 2010 on the track at the European Athletics Championships in Barcelona. A gold medal was the crowning glory of a career that had often been marked by missed opportunities. London 2012 and then Rio 2016: twice, the CREPS Montpellier resident missed out on the Olympic Games, although he did get a taste of them in 2004 and 2008, even coming ^fourth in Beijing. The end of his career was disrupted by persistent groin pain, which kept him out of competition for a long time.

At the age of 36, the northern Frenchman decided to hang up his spikes, bringing an end to a career that began in 2002. Then came the time for a career change, a period known to be difficult for any professional athlete. His path was clear: teaching. It was second nature for this son of a physical education teacher, who now trains sports science students in athletics and physical preparation. Having been on part-time secondment for several years, Romain Barras can now take on his full teaching load.

"Playing volleyball with friends"

This second career has allowed him to reconnect with his personal life, which had been put on hold, and which he is happily rediscovering. "Now I have time to take care of my family life, to go play volleyball with friends when I feel like it..."It's also an opportunity to reconcile with a battered body. "No longer feeling pain with every step"is already a victory for someone who was a long-time regular at the treatment room. Today, the member of the Stade Olympique de Calais "runs a little"and sweats it out at CrossFit. It's not so easy to lose the taste for exercise. However, this pace is a far cry from the 8 to 10 weekly sessions that were once his daily routine.

Although he claims to have distanced himself from his sport, Romain Barras keeps an eye on a particularly promising new generation. A new generation that has a name: Kévin Mayer, silver medalist at the last Olympic Games after a thrilling duel with American Ashton Eaton, a legend in the discipline. With his angelic face and extraordinary physical abilities, he is the ideal poster boy for French decathlon. "Behind Kévin, there are four or five others with great potential," he points out. These are athletes he regularly meets at the French decathlon center, based at the CREPS in Montpellier. Let's bet that this rather unusual teacher will not fail to inspire his heirs who dream of one day climbing, like him, to the top step of the podium.

Keywords: LUM#5, LUM Magazine, Portrait, Sport