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Sarah Abitbol

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Sarah Abitbol
Abitbol and partner Stéphane Bernadis compete in 2001.
Born (1975-06-08) 8 June 1975 (age 49)
Nantes, France
Height1.50 m (4 ft 11 in)
Figure skating career
CountryFrance
PartnerStéphane Bernadis
Skating clubFrancais Volants Paris
Began skating1982
Retired2003
Medal record
Representing  France
Figure skating: Pairs
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2000 Nice Pairs
European Championships
Silver medal – second place 2003 Malmö Pairs
Silver medal – second place 2002 Lausanne Pairs
Bronze medal – third place 2001 Bratislava Pairs
Bronze medal – third place 2000 Vienna Pairs
Bronze medal – third place 1999 Prague Pairs
Bronze medal – third place 1998 Milan Pairs
Bronze medal – third place 1996 Sofia Pairs
Grand Prix Final
Silver medal – second place 1999–2000 Lyon Pairs

Sarah Abitbol (born 8 June 1975) is a French former competitive pair skater. With skating partner Stéphane Bernadis, she is the 2000 World bronze medalist, the 2000 Grand Prix Final silver medalist, a seven-time European medalist (two silver and five bronze medals), and a ten-time French national champion.

Early life and career

Born in Nantes, France, Abitbol began skating at the age of six, choosing skating over swimming. She initially took lessons and practiced in that area.[1] In 1992, at the age of 17, she teamed up with Stéphane Bernadis to compete in pair skating.[1] Abitbol/Bernadis were coached by Jean-Roland Racle early in their career, followed by Stanislav Leonovich in Paris.[2]

At the 2000 World Championships in Nice, France, Bernadis said he was attacked by an unknown assailant with a razor on 28 March when he opened his hotel room door. He suffered an eight-inch cut down his left forearm.[3][4][5] Bernadis said he had received a death threat three weeks earlier.[6] At the event, he and Abitbol won the bronze medal, becoming the first French pair skaters to win a World medal since 1932, when Andrée Brunet / Pierre Brunet won gold in this competition.[7]

When Bernadis became injured after performing the short program, the pair had to withdraw from the 2001 World Championships.[8] They qualified for the 2002 Olympics by winning the 2001 Golden Spin of Zagreb.[8] Abitbol/Bernadis withdrew from the 2002 Olympics after Abitbol's Achilles tendon ruptured in practice; she underwent surgery and was off the ice for six months.[7][9] After the 2003 European Championships, the pair changed coaches, moving to Jean-Christophe Simond.[7]

Abitbol/Bernadis worked on throw triple Axels.[7]

Personal life

Abitbol married Jean-Louis Lacaille in 2009.[10][11] Their daughter, Stella, was born in June 2011.[12]

In January 2020, Abitbol published a memoir, Such A Long Silence (Un si long silence). In it, she accused her former singles coach Gilles Beyer of sexual assault, stating it began in 1990 when she was 15 and continued over a period of two years. This triggered a scandal that led to the resignation that year of FFSG president Didier Gailhaguet over his alleged covering up of past allegations against Beyer, in addition to cover ups of other cases.[13]

While the assaults reported by Abitbol occurred outside the time limits of the statutes of limitations, Beyer was subsequently charged with sexual assault and harassment in cases relating to six other students who came forward with allegations of more recent events.[14] In addition, Sports Minister Roxana Mărăcineanu ordered a broader investigation of the prevalence of sexual abuse in French sports culture. This concluded with reports of misconduct by more than 400 individuals.[15]

Programs

(with Bernadis)

Season Short program Free skating Exhibition
2002–2003
[7]
2001–2002
[8][16]
  • The Addams Family
    by Marc Shaiman
  • Egyptian
2000–2001
[2]
  • Ninja
    by Maxime Rodriguez
  • Tristan & Iseult
    by Maxime Rodriguez
1999–2000
  • El Conquistador
    by Maxime Rodriguez
  • Ange et Démon
    (Angel And The Devil)
    by Maxime Rodriguez
  • La Sirène
    by Maxime Rodriguez
1998–1999
  • El Conquistador
    by Maxime Rodriguez
1997–1998
  • Ultra Techno
    by Kevin B
1996–1997
[1]
  • Classical
1995–1996
1994-1995
1993-1994
  • Dancing Men Terminator
    by Kevin B

Results

with Bernadis

GP: Champions Series / Grand Prix

International[17]
Event 92–93 93–94 94–95 95–96 96–97 97–98 98–99 99–00 00–01 01–02 02–03
Winter Olympics 6th WD
World Champ. 19th 9th 11th 7th 8th 5th 3rd WD 12th
European Champ. 14th 15th 7th 3rd 4th 3rd 3rd 3rd 3rd 2nd 2nd
GP Final 4th 2nd 5th 6th
GP Cup of Russia 3rd
GP Int. Paris /
Troph. France/Lalique		 7th 8th 6th 7th 4th 5th 1st 1st 4th 3rd 2nd
GP Nations/Spark. 7th 9th 1st
GP NHK Trophy 2nd 2nd
GP Skate America 10th 6th 2nd
GP Skate Canada 3rd 5th 3rd
Golden Spin 1st
Japan Open 2nd
Nebelhorn Trophy 3rd
Skate Israel 1st
National[17]
French Champ. 2nd 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st
WD = Withdrew

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Mittan, J. Barry (1996). "Sarah Abitbol and Stephane Bernadis". Archived from the original on 14 May 2012.
  2. ^ a b "Sarah ABITBOL / Stephane BERNADIS: 2000/2001". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 19 April 2001.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  3. ^ "French skater attacked in hotel". Deseret News. 28 March 2000. Archived from the original on 21 November 2012.
  4. ^ "A problem-plagued championship". ESPN. Associated Press. 29 March 2000. Archived from the original on 12 October 2008.
  5. ^ Froissart, Lionel (30 March 2000). "Patinage artistique. Malgré l'agression de Stéphane Bernadis, le couple français est troisième des championnats du monde. Les coups volent bas derrière la glace" [Figure skating. Despite the attack on Stéphane Bernadis, the French pair are third at the World Championships.]. Libération (in French). Archived from the original on 27 March 2012.
  6. ^ "Skater Bernadis had death threat before attack". Deseret News. Reuters. 31 March 2000. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015.
  7. ^ a b c d e "Sarah ABITBOL / Stephane BERNADIS: 2002/2003". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 25 June 2003.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  8. ^ a b c "Sarah ABITBOL / Stephane BERNADIS: 2001/2002". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 2 June 2002.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  9. ^ Mittan, Barry (23 April 2003). "Abitbol and Bernadis Try to Be Different". GoldenSkate.
  10. ^ "Sarah Abitbol: la jolie patineuse artistique... s'est mariée !" [Sarah Abitbol is married] (in French). purepeople.com. 3 September 2009.
  11. ^ "Sarah Abitbol" (in French). premiere.fr. Archived from the original on 31 December 2014. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  12. ^ "Sarah Abitbol est maman" [Sarah Abitbol now a mother] (in French). purepeople.com. 18 June 2011.
  13. ^ "Former French skater sparks sport's latest sexual abuse reckoning". ESPN. 17 April 2020.
  14. ^ "Former French skating champion Abitbol 'relieved' as ex-coach Beyer charged with sex assault". France 24. 9 January 2021.
  15. ^ Charlton, Angela (3 April 2021). "Hundreds of French sports figures accused of sexual violence". Associated Press.
  16. ^ "Sarah ABITBOL / Stephane BERNADIS: 2001/2002". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 24 December 2001.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  17. ^ a b "Sarah ABITBOL / Stephane BERNADIS". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 26 January 2017.

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