Alice Finot at the Paris 2024 Olympics: five things to know about the French athlete, competing from this Sunday

Alice Finot. STADION ACTU/MAXPPP – STADION ACTU/MAXPPP

Her passion for horse riding, her discovery of athletics by chance, her relationship with the Olympic Games… Discover five things to know about Alice Finot, a 3,000-meter steeplechase specialist who will compete this Sunday. 

Alice Finot currently holds the French record for the 3,000-meter steeplechase.

1 – She was a national rider during her adolescence

Her family owned horses, so it was only natural that Alice Finot turned to horse riding at the age of 13. But the now athlete wanted to keep the pleasure of riding horses, and so did not make it her job, so as not to have to "make deals with horses".

2 – She started athletics by chance

Alice Finot was 13 when she took part in her school's cross-country race, at the suggestion of her PE teacher. Then, she won the departmental UNSS cross-country race, and was spotted by a coach. So she did athletics alongside handball, horse riding and basketball.

#Roma2024 | MAIS OUI !!! L'OR POUR ALICE !!! 🤩

🇫🇷 La Française Alice Finot, favorite, n'a pas déçu dans cette finale du 3000m steeple !
Elle est sacrée en 9'16"22 !

BRAVO ALICE ! 👏

📲 Suivez le direct : https://t.co/qgwhtophOn pic.twitter.com/30ByWd9mmT

— francetvsport (@francetvsport) June 9, 2024

3 – She's a globetrotter

When she got her baccalaureate in 2009, Alice Finot stopped athletics to devote herself to her studies and attend an engineering school in Paris. During an internship in Taiwan in 2015, she challenged herself to participate in a half-marathon, which she won. This victory will rekindle the flame of running in her, then that of the Olympic Games.

4 – She experiences her first Olympic Games

Alice Finot experiences her first Olympic Games in Paris. In 2021, she was injured shortly before the Tokyo Games. This was followed by a difficult period for the Frenchwoman, who took a little time to get back into athletics.

🚨 𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗥𝗗 𝗗𝗘 𝗙𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘 ! 🤩

Les chefs-d'œuvre s'enchaînent ! 🖼

🇨🇵 Alice Finot termine deuxième du 3000 m steeple au #MeetingParis en 9'05"01, améliorant pour la sixième fois de sa carrière le record national (ancien : 9'06"15) 🙌

Tous les feux sont au vert pour les… pic.twitter.com/f90irThRj2

— STADION (@stadion_actu) July 7, 2024

5 – She improved her French record just before the Games

Alice Finot improved the French record at the World Championships in Budapest last summer. At the beginning of July, she this time increased it to 9:05:01 at the Paris meeting, at the Charléty stadium.