Former French gymnast Eric Poujade died on the weekend of June 29 and 30, 2024, at the age of 51.
He was one of the greatest gymnasts France has ever known. At the age of 51, pommel horse specialist Éric Poujade died during the weekend of June 29 and 30, according to information from the newspaper The Teamwho announced the news on Tuesday evening. Double European champion in his discipline, his greatest performance remains without a doubt his silver medal at the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000, just before retiring from sport at the age of 28.
The man who also won two vice-world champion titles in Brisbane in 1994 and Lausanne in 1997 is said to have died suddenly, although the exact cause is not known. Since his retirement following the Sydney Games, Éric Poujade has been working as a salesperson for the gymnastics equipment brand Gymnova, which is supplying equipment for the Paris 2024 Games.
With his medal at the Sydney Games, Éric Poujade is one of the rare French Olympic medallists in individual events. Three medals have been won by French gymnastics since 2000, the last by Hamilton Sabot in 2012 in London.