“I live in the present, I don’t look at the future, the past is past. The present moment is all we have that can help us keep our goals in sight. When you have a goal, you have to stop and perceive what your body is telling you, what you feel deep in your heart and then pursue it. If the path you take turns out to be wrong, that’s ok – you’ll learn from it and find a different way. The same goes for guilt: you don’t always need to be 100%, if you are 50% today, but you give 100% of that 50%, you will still have given your all and you can be more than proud of that, because it takes more courage to act with half your resources. The secret is to live in the present, to focus on what you can do now, without unnecessary regrets or worries.
Often our mind is our most fearsome opponent: I have worked every day for years to tame mine and turn every doubt into a springboard. Today I know that mental strength, focus and presence are the result of daily choices, but I also know that I am privileged from this point of view because, thanks to my role, I have a network of professionals who guide and direct me.

For example, before each race we have technical briefings and the support of stress therapists who help me accept tension, rather than fight it, giving me indications and techniques that allow me to turn my anxiety into motivation.
But to begin with, in our everyday lives, the network of our closest contacts can make a difference: family, friends, colleagues. Knowing that you are not alone makes it easier to face challenges. United, every obstacle becomes surmountable, one step at a time. I believe that mental strength, focus and living in the present are valuable tools to cultivate in every area and at every level, as they enhance our quality of life and bring us greater satisfaction when it comes to achieving our daily personal goals.”

“2023, Dubai, 7th International Parachuting Championship (DIPC). 168 athletes, 40 teams, 27 countries represented: I won gold in the women’s Precision Landing, but above all gold, the absolute first place, in the Open competition. In the Open category, men and women compete on equal footing: no distinctions, no excuses, just the sky, the horizon, the air, and a goal to achieve. That was a magical moment: I came first in front of the whole world. Dubai 2023 was my watershed, not only for my sporting results, but for what it represented: the recognition of merit, beyond all prejudice. The scores were clear: I was the only woman in the French mixed team and my scores were the best of all. Period. It is one of the strongest memories I have: that day, I finally felt fully where I belong. But to get there it took ten years of work, of doubts, of growth.

It wasn’t a walk in the park, but I consider myself lucky to have navigated it in an environment where mutual respect, support and loyalty are fundamental to everyday life. In the military environment, in a sports team, when you show that you are on the same level, men acknowledge you and support you as equals. But in other areas, where sport is not part of everyday culture, things change and ignorance or jealousy may creep in. Strict codes of conduct may seem limiting, but perhaps a system that requires us to prove our merits – rather than leaving room for prejudice—protects us from unnecessary setbacks, allowing us to focus our energy on the goals we truly want to achieve. In an ideal world this would be a mindset, but for now, we work with what we have.”

“We could start by defining what success is: for me it is like an iceberg, beneath its majestic tip it conceals crises, failures, fears. The visible part are the medals, the Instagram posts, the smiles. But everything else lies underneath – sacrifice, low moments, doubts. It’s all part of the journey, and there’s nothing wrong with that. We’ve spoken before about the importance of mental strength, and among the key areas to master in order to stay on track, managing fears and criticism is undoubtedly one of the most important. Let’s start with criticism: I listen to and analyse it all. If it is dictated by ignorance or envy, my brain simply does not react, it moves on, files it away. It doesn’t affect me. But if a critique can contribute to my growth, I try to understand what the person is telling me and I reflect on it – you never know where your next useful piece of advice will come from.

What about fears? For fears there are no quick fixes; each one must be confronted individually, without pushing them away. They must be accepted, analysed, transformed. Fear is every elite athlete’s companion. Another essential step is learning to accept anxiety rather than denying it—transforming it into mental fuel is a crucial step in the process. As I said, it’s a journey you can’t truly complete alone—not just because having support from someone else makes the challenges easier, but because sometimes simply sharing the leap is enough to completely change your perspective. Like the idea of success: when I was young I thought it was only about winning. Today I know that true success is having the courage to take on everything that lies behind a victory. And my biggest thanks go to those who believed in me even when I had the wrong perspective.”