Clément Péquin was born on 16 February 1993 in La Rochelle, a port on France’s western coast. An avid sailor from a very young age, he made his first moves at La Rochelle Nautique sailing club. Initially drawn to single-handed racing, he honed his skills and mastery of navigation in the waters of the Atlantic.

But as the years went by, Clément decided to change course. He turned to crewed racing, teaming up with Erwan Fischer to form a competitive, powerful duo. Their synergy and teamwork led the pair to new heights at the helm of a 49er, a double-handed skiff 4.99m long and 2.99m wide. 49ers weigh 125kg and can deploy up to 60 sq m of sail.

Just 4 months out from the Paris 2024 Games, Clément Péquin scored an historic win: France’s first world title in 49er, clinched with teammate Erwan Fischer. Flying the French flag, the duo came in first in the world championships off Lanzarote in Spain’s Canary islands.

That win was their ticket to the Paris 2024 Olympics. “It’s a huge source of pride to be heading for the Olympic Games in Paris,” said Clément in an interview with the French National Sailing Federation¹. “We know we’re going to experience something huge, and I want to enjoy every single moment.” But that’s not all. “We’re aiming to take home a medal—it’s a dream we feel is within our reach,” adds the La Rochelle native.

Alongside his sporting career, Clément Péquin is actively preparing his entry into the working world through a contract with SNCF. His job: deputy to the local station manager in La Rochelle, under an agreement signed in the days leading up to the Paris 2024 Olympics. The contract and job illustrate SNCF’s support for elite athletes through the SNCF Athletes Programme, which offers successful candidates flexible working hours to pursue challenges in high-level sport while simultaneously building a career within SNCF for their post-competition lives.