CANNONE. Despite an open conflict with the French Fencing Federation, Romain Cannone is aiming for a double in épée this summer in Paris. Biography, awards, find out who the French fencer is.
Romain Cannone was born on April 12, 1997 in Boulogne-Billancourt, in the Hauts-de-Seine department. However, he did not grow up in the Paris region, but in Brazil, where his parents settled. But the Cannone family quickly moved to the United States, to New York, where Romain’s parents opened their first macaron shop in Manhattan, before opening two others in “the city that never sleeps”. It was there that the young Romain discovered fencing, “at the age of twelve in a club in Coney Island, below Brooklyn, with a Ukrainian coach.”
Initially interested in foil, he turned to épée and was trained by Michael Mokretsov at the New York Fencing Academy. It was only at the age of 19 that he returned to settle in France to continue his fencing career, after being shunned by the Americans. He holds a tenacious grudge against them. “I hate them,” he admitted in L’Equipe in 2021. “They didn’t want me, even though I had good results but I couldn’t shoot for them.” The 2015 European junior team champion, Romain Cannone struggled to demonstrate his talent at the international level, and did not reach an individual international podium in the senior category before the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
Initially a substitute, the French fencer was finally selected individually, thanks to the last-minute withdrawal of Daniel Jérent (targeted by an AFLD investigation for a positive test for a diuretic). Not impressed, Cannone succeeded in the competition of his life and won the gold medal in Japan to everyone’s surprise. Propelled by this victory, the Frenchman was also crowned world champion in 2022, a year in which he finished as world number one.
What is Romain Cannone’s track record?
Before winning the individual gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Romain Cannone had never competed in international championships or World Cup events. But since his Olympic triumph, Cannone has been world champion in 2022 (individual and team) and won the bronze medal at the World Championships in 2023. He has also won a World Cup event (in Tbilisi in 2023, individual and team).
Why is Romain Cannone in conflict with his federation?
Romain Cannone’s preparation for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games is not ideal, far from it. The Frenchman, with his colleagues Yannick Borel and Alexandre Bardenet, triggered a crisis in recent months, by demanding the departure of their general manager Hugues Obry, whose management they could not stand. Although Hugues Obry did indeed resign at the end of February, he was replaced by his assistant, Gauthier Grumier, whose assistant he ultimately became! An untenable situation, according to the three fencers. They no longer train in consultation with the French Fencing Federation and train alone, in their respective clubs. It remains to be seen whether this will impact their performances at the Paris 2024 Olympics…