The president of the Montpellier club Jérôme Durand hopes for “an upsurge in licensees after the Olympic Games”

Jérôme Durand est le président du MA2M depuis l'été dernier. Loic Feltrin – Loic Feltrin

Entretien avec le nouveau dirigeant du Montpellier Athlétic Méditerranée Métropole en pleine saison hivernale.

Why did you become president of the MA2M ?

I come from an athletics background, I have already held management positions at Bretagne athletics in Rennes. With my wife, we arrived in Montpellier for professional reasons and because of one of our two sons, Sven, a high-level athlete. I naturally took over from Alexandre Bonacorsi who had to leave this position. We have put together a team of former athletes, coaches and managers whose core group is made up of parents of high-level athletes.

What policy do you put in place ?

The idea is to develop the athletics school, community life and support young people towards high level. We help our juniors and hopefuls who manage to combine studies and sport. We try to accompany them, to support them in their practice, to take a special look at them.

In your opinion, what makes this club special in this city ?

We always have the sun, that seems obvious but it makes it easier to train in good conditions. The Philippidès stadium backs onto the Creps de Montpellier, which is an advantage since the athletes have access to the facilities through conventions. For the middle distance, we have interesting playgrounds towards the sea or the Cévennes.

How do you view your athletes' winter season ?

It is not over since this weekend, there are the French combined events championships, those of walking with Dimitri Durand who can aim for third place. But also the French junior championships with Mathilde Descoux who we hope to see on the 400m podium. The French cross-country championships take place from March 8 to 10. For the moment, the results are average. We have had better seasons but also worse ones. We didn't have as many medals as we hoped but we saw some great things at the French cadet-junior championships.

In two months, what will your ambitions be during the Interclubs ?

Interclubs are always the major objective of MA2M. It’s the highlight of the season in the life of a club. Everyone lines up for the same thing: to perform and show off the jersey. The first round will take place on April 28 in Alès, the second on May 12 in Grenoble. We are in Elite B and we will do everything to stay there. Places are expensive in this second division. We will be mobilized to the maximum.

The Paris 2024 Olympic Games are an important event since several of your athletes will participate, like Kévin Mayer and Renelle Lamote. What could be the benefits for a club like yours ?

For all athletics clubs, we can hope for an increase in licensees. There is an Olympic Games effect on club registrations. With these Games at home, we hope that the effect will be greater and that we will benefit from it. If an athlete from the club brings home a gold medal, there will be a huge focus. Mayor Delafosse told me with a smile that we could double our workforce. I told him that in that regard, I would have to find other stadiums. This is what is missing in Montpellier. When we see the city's sports policy, it's a shame not to have an athletics stadium capable of hosting a championship.

Two young people from Montpellier will live the Olympic dream

Thanks to this à a system supported by the Comit&eac; national Olympic and sportsman and its German equivalent, two young athletes from MA2M, Lamia Mourabit and Louis Brée, will participate in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. For two weeks , they will have access to the different tests and meet personalities to exchange ideas.

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