Trained at INSEP, Brahim Asloum won the Light Flyweight (48 kg) gold medal at the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000. He went on to become the WBA Light Flyweight champion in 2007 and is now an influential figure in boxing both in France and on the world stage, which he combines with his career as a boxing promoter and actor.

In 2003, Arnaud Assoumani, a para athlete competing in the T46 and F46 categories, broke on to the European stage winning two gold medals (in the high jump and the 4x100m relay) and “just” a silver in the long jump at the European Championships. However, it was on this third event that Assoumani focused in the following years, building up one of the most impressive careers in French athletics, winning a Paralympic title in 2008 and two world titles in 2006 and 2011.

Competing in the same era as Florian Rousseau, Félicia Ballanger did her bit to ensure the Marseillaise rang out many a time in the velodrome. This track cyclist from western France had a stunning career, during which she became Olympic champion in the sprint in 1996 and 2000, as well as the 500m time trial in 2000 and world champion in the sprint and the 500m time trial from 1995 to 1999.

For several years, Lucie Décosse set the bar on the world stage in women’s judo. Born in French Guiana, Lucie Décosse won the Olympic Gold medal for the middleweight (63–70 kg) category in 2012, four years after winning a silver medal in the half-middleweight (57–63 kg) category at her first Games. Also a three-time world champion (at half-middleweight in 2005 and at middleweight in 2010 and 2011) and four-time European champion, Décosse now coaches the French national team.

It’s as if Virginie Dedieu was born to be a synchronised swimmer. Three-time world champion in the solo event (2003, 2005 and 2007) and Olympic bronze medallist in duet with Myriam Lignot (2000), Virginie Dedieu shone like a star in pools across the world throughout the mid-2000s, renowned for her grace, technical ability and poise in the water.

Teammates with Tony Parker at INSEP, in the French national side and at his club, Boris Diaw won the NBA championships with San Antonio Spurs in 2014. The son of the former international basketballer Élisabeth Riffiod also became European champion in 2013 with the French national team, which he captained for many years before retiring in 2018.

Considered by some as a genius with the foil, Christian d’Oriola had one of the most outstanding careers in the history of French fencing. He was four-time Olympic champion in the foil (individual in 1952 and 1956, team in 1948 and 1956), double Olympic silver medallist (individual in 1948, team in 1956), and also won eight world titles (four in the individual event and four in the team in event).

Recognised by the International Judo Federation as the greatest judoka of all time, David Douillet was the biggest name in French judo for many years. Two-time Olympic champion in the over 95 kg category in 1996 and in the over 100 kg category in 2000, Olympic bronze medallist in the over 95 kg category in 1992, world champion in the over 95 kg category in 1993, 1995 and 1997 and in the open category in 1995. Since retiring from the sport, David Douillet entered the world of politics.

After becoming Olympic silver medallist in the 110m hurdles in 1972 and European champion in 1974, Guy Drut reached the pinnacle of his career when he won Olympic Gold in 1976 in Montreal. When his career as an athlete came to an end, he successfully began a career in politics. He has also been a member of the ICO since 1996.

Tony Estanguet will forever be known as the French sportsman who won three Olympic titles in the same discipline at three different Games. Estanguet won the gold medal in 2000, 2004 and 2012 in the C1 canoe slalom. He is also a triple world champion in the sport. Elected to the IOC Athletes' Commission, Tony Estanguet is currently head of the Paris 2024 Organising Committee.

After winning the indoor world championships and a European outdoor title, Sébastien Flute became Olympic champion in 1992, at the age of just 20. He went on to compete in three Olympiads (1992, 1996, 2000). The archery centre at INSEP is named after Flute.

Still to this day, Jean-Philippe Gatien remains the benchmark in French table tennis, setting the standard for all those who have come after. He won two Olympic medals (silver in the men’s singles in 1992 and bronze in the men’s doubles in 2000) and the world championships in the men’s singles in 1993. He is currently Chairman of the Board at INSEP and Sporting Director on the Paris 2024 Organising Committee.

Alongside Céline Dumerc, Sandrine Gruda formed part of the golden generation of women’s basketball in France. Having trained at the INSEP’s federal basketball centre, she won the European championships in 2009 with the French national team before reaching a career high at the London 2012 Games, when she won Olympic silver. She also won the EuroLeague in 2013 and played in the WNBA in the US.

Alongside his brother Christophe, who won the bronze medal in the 74 kg Greco-Roman wrestling, Steeve Guenot became Olympic champion in the 66 kg category in Beijing and won bronze four years later in London. They both played a significant role in flying the flag for wrestling in France and at INSEP for over a decade, following in the footsteps of other great names of the past, such as Ghani Yalouz, Olympic silver medallist in the 69 kg category in 1996.

Over almost a decade, Jean-François Lamour built up one of the most distinguished careers in international fencing. Gold medallist at the 1984 and 1988 Olympics in the men's individual sabre, silver medal winner in the team event in 1984 and bronze medallist in the individual and team event in 1992, Jean-François Lamour also became world champion in 1987.

Gymnast Émilie Lepennec secured her place in the history books in her discipline when she became the first Olympic champion from France in the asymmetric bars in Athens in 2004, at the age of only 16. A strong performer across all four pieces of apparatus, she was also crowned European champion in the asymmetric bars and won bronze on floor in 2005.

Former world number 1, Amélie Mauresmo won two grand slams (Australia and Wimbledon) in the ladies’ singles in 2006, three years after winning the Fed Cup with France. She also won Olympic silver in the singles event at the 2004 Games in Athens.

The specialist distance runner Alain Mimoun went down in history when he won the marathon at the Melbourne Olympics in 1956, beating his long-time rival, the Czech Emil Zatopek. Also Olympic silver medallist in the 10,000m in 1948 as well as the 10,000m and 5,000m in 1952, he regularly trained on INSEP’s track in the Halle Joseph Maigrot and the Omnès stadium until his death in 2013 at the age of 92.

Estelle Mossely will never forget 2016. After having won the amateur title of world lightweight champion in June, she went on to become France’s first female Olympic boxing champion two months later in Rio. She is now pursuing a career in the professional boxing circuit.

Having won the NBA Championship with San Antonio Spurs in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2014 as well as being named MVP in the NBA Finals in 2007 and six times NBA All-Star, Tony Parker represented the success of the French system for many years. A pure product of the INSEP federal centre and very proud to wear the blue jersey of the French national side, Tony Parker won the European championships in 2013, 13 years after his first title with the U18 team.

Marie-José Perec was gifted with a huge, unbridled stride that won over the hearts of the French people in the mid-1990s. Triple Olympic champion in athletics (400m in 1992 as well as the 200m and 400m in 1996) and two-time world champion at 400m (1991 and 1995), the Guadeloupean Marie-Josée Pérec had one of the most distinguished careers in French sport and remains to this day one of its most iconic athletes, nearly 20 years after hanging up her spikes.

Olympic champion in the over 100 kg category in 2012 and 2016, bronze medallist in the over 100 kg category in 2008, 10-time world champion in the over 100 kg category between 2007 and 2017, world champion in the open category in 2008 and 2017, Teddy Riner could further cement his place in sporting history if he wins a third consecutive Olympic title in Tokyo in 2020.

The track cyclist Florian Rousseau soon forged his place as the deserved successor to Daniel Morelon towards the end of the 1990s in a golden age for French cycling in the velodrome. His versatility on the track and his competitive drive, combined with his exceptional physical condition, allowed him to stay at the forefront of his discipline for nearly a decade, winning three Olympic titles (the kilometre in 1996 and the keirin and team sprint in 2000) and 10 world titles.

After joining INSEP in 2008, Jimmy Vicaut, 27 years old, has become one of the best sprinters in the world. Olympic bronze medallist in 2012 in the 4x100m relay event, 2013 European indoor champion in the 60m event, he equalled the European 100m record time of 9.86 in 2015.

The rower Sébastien Vieilledent became world champion in 2003 and Olympic champion in 2004 in the double sculls alongside his teammate Adrien Hardy. After calling his career as an elite athlete to an end, he became coach of the French national squad and member of the elite athletes’ commission for the French National Olympic and Sport Committee (CNOSF).

A year after winning the super heavyweight amateur title in 2015, Tony Yoka lived up to his reputation as favourite when he became Olympic champion in the super heavyweight division at the Rio Olympic Games. The INSEP-trained boxer turned professional in January 2017.