Alain Calmat (born 31 August 1940) is a French former competitive

figure skater Figure skating is a sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform on figure skates on ice. It was the first winter sport to be included in the Olympic Games, with its introduction occurring at the 1908 Olympics in London. The Olympic d ...

surgeon In medicine, a surgeon is a medical doctor who performs surgery. Even though there are different traditions in different times and places, a modern surgeon is a licensed physician and received the same medical training as physicians before spec ...

, and

politician A politician is a person who participates in Public policy, policy-making processes, usually holding an elective position in government. Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles ...

. He is the 1964 Olympic silver medalist, the 1965 World champion, the 1962–1964 European champion, and the 1958 & 1962–1965 French national champion.

Career

Calmat attended the Cours Hattemer, a private school. He started skating at the age of nine. He had one of the longest figure skating careers in postwar skating, competing in every European, World, and Olympic competition for twelve years. 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 ninth at the

1956 Winter Olympics The 1956 Winter Olympics, officially known as the VII Olympic Winter Games () and commonly known as Cortina d'Ampezzo 1956 ( or ), were a multi-sport event held in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, from 26 January to 5 February 1956. Cortina, which ...

and won the bronze medal at the 1958 European Championships. At the

1960 Winter Olympics The 1960 Winter Olympics (officially the VIII Olympic Winter Games and also known as Squaw Valley 1960) were a winter multi-sport event held from February 18 to 28, 1960, at the Squaw Valley Resort (now known as Palisades Tahoe) in Squaw Valley ...

, 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 The 1964 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IX Olympic Winter Games () and commonly known as Innsbruck 1964 (), were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Innsbruck, Austria, from January 29 to February 9, 1964. The city was a ...

, 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 The 1968 Winter Olympics, officially known as the X Olympic Winter Games (), were a winter multi-sport event held from 6 to 18 February 1968 in Grenoble, France. Thirty-seven countries participated. The 1968 Winter Games marked the first time ...

Grenoble Grenoble ( ; ; or ; or ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of the Isère Departments of France, department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regions of France, region ...

, France. He also served as a world judge.Hines (2011), p. 52

Competitive highlights

After skating

Calmat later studied

medicine Medicine is the science and Praxis (process), practice of caring for patients, managing the Medical diagnosis, diagnosis, prognosis, Preventive medicine, prevention, therapy, treatment, Palliative care, palliation of their injury or disease, ...

, and became a

. A

socialist Socialism is an economic ideology, economic and political philosophy encompassing diverse Economic system, economic and social systems characterised by social ownership of the means of production, as opposed to private ownership. It describes ...

, he started in a political career. He was minister of Youth Affairs and Sports between 1984 and 1986 when

Laurent Fabius Laurent Fabius (; born 20 August 1946) is a French politician. A member of the Socialist Party (France), Socialist Party, he previously served as Prime Minister of France from 17 July 1984 to 20 March 1986. Fabius was 37 years old when he was a ...

was prime minister. He was elected deputy of the

département In the administrative divisions of France, the department (, ) is one of the three levels of government under the national level (" territorial collectivities"), between the administrative regions and the communes. There are a total of 101 ...

Cher Cher ( ; born Cheryl Sarkisian, May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Goddess of Pop", she is known for her Androgyny, androgynous contralto voice, Music an ...

from 1986 until 1993. In 1995, he became the

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...

of Livry-Gargan. In 1997 he became a deputy in the

French National Assembly The National Assembly (, ) is the lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral French Parliament under the French Fifth Republic, Fifth Republic, the upper house being the Senate (France), Senate (). The National Assembly's legislators are known ...

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

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Calmat, Alain 1940 births Living people Jewish French sportspeople French male single skaters Figure skaters at the 1956 Winter Olympics Figure skaters at the 1960 Winter Olympics Figure skaters at the 1964 Winter Olympics Figure skaters from Paris Olympic figure skaters for France Olympic silver medalists for France Commanders of the Ordre national du Mérite Knights of the Legion of Honour Olympic medalists in figure skating World Figure Skating Championships medalists European Figure Skating Championships medalists Medalists at the 1964 Winter Olympics Olympic cauldron lighters Winter World University Games medalists in figure skating FISU World University Games gold medalists for France Medalists at the 1960 Winter Universiade French sportsperson-politicians 20th-century French sportsmen

Career

Competitive highlights

After skating

See also

References