Considering that Chafik Besseghier just won a bronze medal at the French nationals, I thought some of you might like to learn more about him. Here is a November article about him from the French newspaper Le Nouvel Observateur that I translated into English. I feel a bit iffy posting an article about a not very well-known skater considering the interest to most members of the forum would be minor, but maybe there is a person or two that might enjoy reading it.
The kid from an immigrant neighborhood made a name for himself in a ¨sport for girls.¨
Son of immigrants, raised in a modest neighborhood of Grenoble,Chafik Besseghier didn't fit the profile of a perfect skater. Today he is one of the four best skaters in France.
At 22 years of age, he will glide before the cameras of the whole word on the occasion of Trophy Eric Bompard (from 19th to 20th of November at Paris-Bercy), an important competition in the world of figure skating.
But despite the excitement of participating at his second Grand Prix (the equivalent of a Grand Slam tennis tournament), he reacts with his typical smile. The Franco-Algerian Chafik Besseghier cautiously takes off his gloves and turns off the sound of the American r&b singer whose voice can be heard over the speakers.
“This is a really nice young man, with strong values that were passed down to him by his parents,” introduces him Françoise Bonnard, his long-time coach. You could also qualify him as ¨shy¨ and ¨humble.¨
¨He is someone a bit introverted, a person who doesn't express himself as easily by speaking as he does by moving on the ice.¨
Born on the ¨open days.¨
The story of the blades starts shortly before he turns thirteen and somewhat by accident, at an age when a skater already knows if he'll be able to make it big time or not. Besseghier recollects:
¨I liked skating during the sessions open to the public. But at the beginning I wanted to play hockey.¨
Too scrawny, not skilled enough with his hands, he fails to make the team of hockey club Brûleurs de loups, a source of local pride.
One day in August 2002, while attending the rink on the day of open doors with his sister and mother, he puts on a pair of skates. Immediately he is spotted by the trainers standing rinkside who challenge him to land two double jumps.
He executes seven of them. Katia Krier, who's in charge of figure skating at the technical direction of the French Federation confirms:
¨It's obvious that he is talented. His build and physical qualities match up perfectly with the demands of the sport. That has enabled him to catch up despite a late start.¨
The Grenoblian is today one of the top four of French male skaters, according to the representative of the federation. Based on his results he is closing in on third place, on the heels of Brian Joubert. In 2002, a European bronze medal launched the career of the skater who is now a (former) world champion and a three time European champion. That same year, Besseghier laced up his skates for the first time.
My father wanted me to play soccer
In the neighborhood of Malherbe where he grew up, figure skating was far from being on the minds of most people.
¨It wasn't all that easy, at first, to tell my friends what sport I was practicing. My father wanted me to play soccer. They were all making fun of me. As for myself, I thought that it was a sport for girls.¨
Today his friends are among his most fervent supporters, just behind his parents. It was easier to get them on his side than the skating establishment itself.
¨I remember my junior competitions when I finished at the bottom of the pack. Some of my competitors told me: ¨You'll never make it, you started too late!¨ I didn't get any gifts. But that didn´t bring me down. On the contrary, it motivated me and I made progress. Today, a lot of them are no longer competing.
Chafik Besseghier is the sliver medalist at the French Junior Nationals of 2009 and has finished in fifth place at last year's World University Games. Predictably there's a strong temptation to turn this young guy from an immigrant neighborhood into a symbol of integration. But he doesn't demand that sort of recognition. He is simply happy to serve as aspirational example for others.
¨I want to show that it's possible to be a person of color hailing from an immigrant neighborhood but still be someone normal. A lot of people feel rejected by society and give up. I want to show them that it's possible to achieve success in sports but also at work or in school.¨
Atypical, but that's all
Chafik Besseghier doesn't hide his pride at being one of the first French skaters of North African descent to make it at this level of the sport. He hasn't forgotten about the sacrifices his parents had to make to pay for his license fees or for the used skates that he wore down to the max so he wouldn't have to buy new ones too often.
But even if he is aware that he is one of the most atypical members of the French team, he points out that ¨today there is a young group of mixed race skaters from diverse backgrounds. Ten years ago, I don't think I would have felt comfortable in the world of French skating. But the attitudes have changed from the time when Surya Bonaly was denied her wins because she was black.¨
A medal at the French championships in December, the equivalent of a qualification for the Europeans, would be the best proof.
The kid from an immigrant neighborhood made a name for himself in a ¨sport for girls.¨
Son of immigrants, raised in a modest neighborhood of Grenoble,Chafik Besseghier didn't fit the profile of a perfect skater. Today he is one of the four best skaters in France.
At 22 years of age, he will glide before the cameras of the whole word on the occasion of Trophy Eric Bompard (from 19th to 20th of November at Paris-Bercy), an important competition in the world of figure skating.
But despite the excitement of participating at his second Grand Prix (the equivalent of a Grand Slam tennis tournament), he reacts with his typical smile. The Franco-Algerian Chafik Besseghier cautiously takes off his gloves and turns off the sound of the American r&b singer whose voice can be heard over the speakers.
“This is a really nice young man, with strong values that were passed down to him by his parents,” introduces him Françoise Bonnard, his long-time coach. You could also qualify him as ¨shy¨ and ¨humble.¨
¨He is someone a bit introverted, a person who doesn't express himself as easily by speaking as he does by moving on the ice.¨
Born on the ¨open days.¨
The story of the blades starts shortly before he turns thirteen and somewhat by accident, at an age when a skater already knows if he'll be able to make it big time or not. Besseghier recollects:
¨I liked skating during the sessions open to the public. But at the beginning I wanted to play hockey.¨
Too scrawny, not skilled enough with his hands, he fails to make the team of hockey club Brûleurs de loups, a source of local pride.
One day in August 2002, while attending the rink on the day of open doors with his sister and mother, he puts on a pair of skates. Immediately he is spotted by the trainers standing rinkside who challenge him to land two double jumps.
He executes seven of them. Katia Krier, who's in charge of figure skating at the technical direction of the French Federation confirms:
¨It's obvious that he is talented. His build and physical qualities match up perfectly with the demands of the sport. That has enabled him to catch up despite a late start.¨
The Grenoblian is today one of the top four of French male skaters, according to the representative of the federation. Based on his results he is closing in on third place, on the heels of Brian Joubert. In 2002, a European bronze medal launched the career of the skater who is now a (former) world champion and a three time European champion. That same year, Besseghier laced up his skates for the first time.
My father wanted me to play soccer
In the neighborhood of Malherbe where he grew up, figure skating was far from being on the minds of most people.
¨It wasn't all that easy, at first, to tell my friends what sport I was practicing. My father wanted me to play soccer. They were all making fun of me. As for myself, I thought that it was a sport for girls.¨
Today his friends are among his most fervent supporters, just behind his parents. It was easier to get them on his side than the skating establishment itself.
¨I remember my junior competitions when I finished at the bottom of the pack. Some of my competitors told me: ¨You'll never make it, you started too late!¨ I didn't get any gifts. But that didn´t bring me down. On the contrary, it motivated me and I made progress. Today, a lot of them are no longer competing.
Chafik Besseghier is the sliver medalist at the French Junior Nationals of 2009 and has finished in fifth place at last year's World University Games. Predictably there's a strong temptation to turn this young guy from an immigrant neighborhood into a symbol of integration. But he doesn't demand that sort of recognition. He is simply happy to serve as aspirational example for others.
¨I want to show that it's possible to be a person of color hailing from an immigrant neighborhood but still be someone normal. A lot of people feel rejected by society and give up. I want to show them that it's possible to achieve success in sports but also at work or in school.¨
Atypical, but that's all
Chafik Besseghier doesn't hide his pride at being one of the first French skaters of North African descent to make it at this level of the sport. He hasn't forgotten about the sacrifices his parents had to make to pay for his license fees or for the used skates that he wore down to the max so he wouldn't have to buy new ones too often.
But even if he is aware that he is one of the most atypical members of the French team, he points out that ¨today there is a young group of mixed race skaters from diverse backgrounds. Ten years ago, I don't think I would have felt comfortable in the world of French skating. But the attitudes have changed from the time when Surya Bonaly was denied her wins because she was black.¨
A medal at the French championships in December, the equivalent of a qualification for the Europeans, would be the best proof.
I recall seeing him jump 4toe-3toe clean in a competition(don't know in which competition) So: Good luck to Chafik at Europeans. He and his family and friends must be thrilled :thumbsup:
