Laura Tarantola
Meet rower Laura Tarantola, silver medallist in lightweight women’s double sculls at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and—since December 2019—workplace well-being manager at a TGV passenger services unit.
Rowing as a school for life
Her career
For Laura Tarantola, water sports weren’t an obvious choice. Born in Annemasse, in the French Alps, Laura tried dance, tennis, basketball and other sports before she fell in love with rowing. And in the beginning, her primary motivation was spending time with friends.
“When I was 14, a school friend invited me to an Open House Day at her club. She was part of a group of girls my age who thought it would be fun to travel together to rowing camps and tournaments. I liked the idea, and that’s why I went back”, the 25-year-old recalls.
Fulfilling her potential
In 2008 Laura was licensed at Aviron Grenoblois, a Grenoble rowing club, and her love of the sport increased as she rose in the rankings. Just 6 years after she held her first pair of oars, she joined the France Élite team and won her first French championship—women’s lightweight single sculls—in 2016.
Combining sport with study
How did she succeed in realizing her full potential? “I never had to choose between sport and my studies”, says Laura. Without ever interrupting her elite rowing career, she completed a two-year programme in legal studies and was admitted to the Grenoble School of Management.
In her own words
“Joining a company of SNCF’s calibre is a major opportunity. Quality of life at work seems to be on everyone’s mind right now, so I’m trying to launch simple activities that combine work with sport, such as running with co-workers, or free sessions with an osteopath. I’m really eager to set up some programmes so I can repay SNCF for everything they’ve done for me.”
Titles
2024
7th in the lightweight double sculls at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games
2023
Bronze medal, lightweight women’s double sculls (LW2x) at the World Cup in Varese, Italy
Bronze medal, lightweight women’s double sculls (LW2x) at the European Championships in Bled, Slovenia
2022
Silver medal, lightweight women’s double sculls (LW2x) at the European Championships in Munich, Germany
Silver medal, lightweight women’s double sculls (LW2x) at the World Cup in Lucerne, Switzerland
2021
Silver medal, lightweight women’s double sculls, Olympic Games Tokyo 2020
2019
Silver medal, women’s double sculls, European Championships
2018
Gold medal, World Championships, lightweight women’s single sculls
Silver medal, European Championships
