Nathalie Benoit

Started: She began rowing in 2008 in Marseille, France, at the Cercle de l'Aviron de Marseille. (franceolympique.com, 01 Dec 2010) Reason: She initially represented France in wheelchair basketball, but wanted a sport in which she could get out of her wheelchair. Rowing had interested her for a while, and when an adaptive rowing programme for athletes with an impairment opened up in Marseille in 2008, she joined immediately. (franceolympique.com, 01 Dec 2010) Ambition: To compete at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr, 04 Aug 2023) Awards: In 2012 she was named a Knight of the National Order of Merit by the French government. (legifrance.gouv.fr, 31 Dec 2012) She was named 2009 Rower of the Year by the French Federation of Rowing Societies [FFSA]. (avironfrance.asso.fr, 20 Mar 2010) Additional Info: SPORTING CHALLENGES During a seven-year break from the sport between 2012 and 2019, she took part in a number of sporting challenges to raise awareness for multiple sclerosis. In 2013 she rowed over 1000 kilometres from Paris to Marseille through the waterways of France and in 2018 she competed in the New York City Marathon in the United States of America. "I realised that we can make our dreams come true and overcome ourselves without any sort of a doubt, despite an ever-present illness. I had the desire to harden the challenges for me and at the same time to transmit a message for my family, who have always supported me, to show that I was able to go beyond what doctors told me when I was 18. I also wanted to show that we can live and do several things despite the illness." (WorldRowingFISA YouTube channel, 01 Sep 2019; bienetreetequilibre.com, 09 Oct 2018) BREAK AND RETURN She decided to take a break from the sport following the 2012 Paralympic Games in London. She announced her return to Para rowing in 2019. "[I returned] for pleasure. It was very stressful [leading up to the 2012 Paralympic Games], every year I had to increase the pressure. I returned for the love of sport. It really exists." (WorldRowingFISA YouTube channel, 01 Sep 2019; Federation Francaise d'Aviron YouTube channel, 31 Aug 2019) OCCUPATION She has worked as a teacher for the National Centre for Distance Education [CNED], a French educational institution that provides distance learning services. (Facebook profile, 13 Jun 2019) OTHER ACTIVITIES She has played the violin as part of an orchestra since 2003. (bienetreetequilibre.com, 09 Oct 2018)