Alain Calmat

Alain Calmat (born 31 August 1940) is a French former competitive figure skater, surgeon, and politician. He is the 1964 Olympic silver medalist, the 1965 World champion, the 1962–1964 European champion, and the 1958 & 1962–1965 French national champion.

Alain Calmat
Alain Calmat at the 1964 World Championships
Personal information
Country represented	France
Born	31 August 1940 Paris, France
Former coach	Jacqueline Vaudecrane
Retired	1965
Medal record Representing  France Men's figure skating Olympic Games 1964 Innsbruck Men's singles World Championships 1965 Colorado Springs Men's singles 1964 Dortmund Men's singles 1963 Cortina d'Ampezzo Men's singles 1962 Prague Men's singles 1960 Vancouver Men's singles European Championships 1965 Moscow Men's singles 1964 Grenoble Men's singles 1963 Budapest Men's singles 1962 Geneva Men's singles 1961 Berlin Men's singles 1958 Bratislava Men's singles

Career

Alain Calmat 1963 in East Berlin

Calmat at the 1968 Olympics

Calmat attended the Cours Hattemer, a private school.[1] He started skating at the age of nine. He won the silver medal at the French Figure Skating Championships in 1954 and would go on to win twelve medals at nationals before retiring: seven silver and five gold. He placed 9th at the 1956 Winter Olympics and won the bronze medal at the 1958 European Championships. At the 1960 Winter Olympics, he moved up to sixth place and won the bronze medal at the 1960 World Championships.

The following year, Calmat won the silver medal at the 1961 European Championships. He became European champion for three consecutive years from 1962 to 1964. During that period, Calmat was awarded one bronze and two silver medals at Worlds.

At the 1964 Winter Olympics, Calmat won the silver medal and went on to win his second consecutive silver medal at Worlds. He stayed in one more season and retired as the 1965 World champion.

Calmat carried the torch and lit the Olympic flame at the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, France.

Competitive highlights

International[2][3][4]
Event	1954	1955	1956	1957	1958	1959	1960	1961	1962	1963	1964	1965
Olympics			9th				6th				2nd
Worlds	11th	9th	7th	9th	5th	7th	3rd	*	3rd	2nd	2nd	1st
Europeans	5th	5th	4th	4th	3rd	4th	4th	2nd	1st	1st	1st	2nd
Universiade							1st
National[5]
French	2nd	2nd	2nd	2nd	1st	2nd	2nd	2nd	1st	1st	1st	1st
* Championships cancelled due to Sabena Flight 548 crash.

After skating

Calmat later studied medicine, and became a surgeon.

A socialist, he started in a political career. He was minister of Youth Affairs and Sports between 1984 and 1986 when Laurent Fabius was prime minister. He was elected deputy of the département of Cher from 1986 until 1993. In 1995, he became the mayor of Livry-Gargan. In 1997 he became a deputy in the French National Assembly.

Calmat was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1987.[6]

See also

• List of Olympic medalists in figure skating
• Politics of France
• List of select Jewish figure skaters

References

1. "Quelques Anciens Celebres". Hattemar. Archived from the original on 18 June 2015. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
2. "World Figure Skating Championships Results: Men" (PDF). International Skating Union. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 November 2012.
3. "European Figure Skating Championships Results: Men" (PDF). International Skating Union. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 May 2013.
4. "Alain Calmat". sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020.
5. "Titres Francais Messieurs" [French Nationals Results]. Francais Volants (in French). Archived from the original on 20 June 2008.
6. "Elected members: Alain Calmat". Jewishsports.net. Retrieved 7 January 2013.