Mathilde Descoux: “You could say I was born at Creps.”
Mathilde Descoux is a student at Montpellier Management. She won first place in the 400 meters at the university athletics championships held in Blois on June 1 and 2, 2024.
She fell in love with athletics when she was little. It runs in the family for Mathilde Descoux: her mother is an athlete, her father is an athlete and an athletics coach."You could say I was born at Creps," smiles Mathilde, who spent her early years playing at the Philippidès stadium, using the long jump landing area as her sandbox.
At the age of 6, she started athletics, trying her hand at a bit of everything, and at 16 she chose to specialize in the 400 meters, " because I'm a sprinter, and also a little bit to distinguish myself from my father, who coaches the 800 meters," recalls the young champion, who trains at the Mireval Gardiole Athletics club.
French national team goal
At 21, the Philippides Stadium remains her favorite place to play, where she now trains for around 12 hours a week. This schedule is not always easy to balance with her management degree at Montpellier Management. After a very busy first year, during which juggling training and studies caused "a lot of stress and even injuries," Mathilde Descoux decided to spread the following year over two years, thanks to an arrangement reserved for high-level athletes.
This choice was rewarded with first place at the university championships in Blois this summer and then in Metz this winter, with a lap of the stadium completed in less than 55 seconds. An impressive performance for the athlete, who is aiming to be selected for the French national team and plans to do a Master's degree in innovation strategy consulting. His professional goal is to work in a sports company so he can combine his career with his passion, and stay on his toes.