“The Wasp”

France’s Laura Flessel-Colovic

{mosimage}French fencer Laura Flessel-Colovic is known as la Guêpe — the Wasp — for her fiercely competitive nature and her dangerous attack.

Born November 6, 1971, Flessel-Colovic is a native of Guadeloupe. After seeing French fencing champion Jean-François Lamour on television, she quit her dance class and joined her local fencing club.

A left-handed fencer, the exceptionally quick Flessel-Colovic soon worked her way up the ranks, from local to international tournaments. In 1990 she relocated to Paris — one of the capitals of the fencing world — to perfect her game. She won the Pan American games in 1991, 1992 and 1994, and finished third in the 1995 World Championships.

French Epee fencer Laura Flessel-Colovic

Then, at the Atlanta 1996 Olympics, she won a double-gold for individual and team, and continued to dominate the field by winning the 1998 and 1999 World Championships. She took the bronze at the Sydney 2000 Olympics. Her child, a little girl, was born four months before she took second place at the 2001 World Championships. She recently won the International “A-level” open at Estoril, Portugal (March 8, 2003).

Flessel-Colovic credits her impressive and consistent results to a strict training regimen. Unlike other sports, fencing doesn’t put food on the table, so she moonlights at Paris’ office of tourism when she’s not competing.

Fencing with an Epee, Flessel-Colovic’s game is characterized by lightning-swift attacks from far away. She can cover 20 feet before her opponents have a chance to react. She dominates the field through sheer athleticism and a fine sense of timing.