Valentin Bertrand represents France at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. A para-athlete, he stood out at the Rio Paralympic Games and the Dubai World Championship. More than an athlete, Valentin Bertrand is also a graduate of a Grande École: KEDGE. Here is his journey.
Born in Neuilly-sur-Seine, in Hauts-de-Seine, in 1995, Valentin Bertrand is an accomplished high-level athlete. After a first participation in the Paralympic Games in 2016, in Rio, he is selected to represent France at the Tokyo Games which take place this summer 2021.
Suffering from right-sided hemiplegia, Valentin Bertrand is 50% paralyzed in his arm and leg. Regarding this handicap, he declared to the Team Michelin : “ I have been hemiplegic since birth. As I was born with this disability, it is not a problem for me. It’s like I’m valid. » This did not prevent him from becoming a high-level athlete who was able to reconcile a sporting life and studies in higher education.
🇯🇵paralympic village 🇯🇵
It’s okay, we’re there!!!
So happy and can’t wait to get started ⚡#paralympics #tokyo2020 #Japan #longjump #ilovemyjob #thisiswhyweplay #work @EquipeFRA pic.twitter.com/ALNX7cGgce— valentin Bertrand (@valbertrand01) August 23, 2021
Valentin Bertrand’s sporting journey
Valentin Bertrand discovered athletics quite late. After practicing tennis, football and skiing, it was at the age of 15 that he became interested in this discipline which would propel him onto the French and international scene. It was quickly detected by the French Handisport Federation. He specializes in two sports: 400m and long jump.
It was at the age of 18, three years later, that he participated in his first world championships. He will take the 7e place. In 2016, Valentin Bertrand entered the big leagues and obtained his first medal, bronze, at the European Championships in the T37 long jump. The same year, he was selected for the Rio Paralympic Games. If he makes it to the final, he will finish 8e in 400m and long jump.
After a sixth place at the world championships in London (2017), a fourth place at the world championships in Berlin (2018) and Bydgoszcz (2021) and a fifth place in Dubai (2019), Valentin Bertrand wants to shine at the Tokyo Paralympic Games. He also confided in the site Blues Handisport and explained that his goal now was to “ beat my personal best in long jump, repeat the Paralympic Games with good performances and try to tickle the best. »
The academic and professional career of Valentin Bertrand
Valentin Bertrand has chosen not to trade his studies for his sport. On the contrary ! The French athlete decided to continue training. After obtaining his baccalaureate, he completed a STAPS License at Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University. Once he obtained his diploma, in 2017, he joined a business school: KEDGE. He is training in marketing and human resources.
During this course which lasted two years, Valentin Bertrand completed two internships. The first, he did at the Caisse des Dépôts group, in HR. He will be responsible for analyzing and updating employee job descriptions. In 2019, he completed his second internship in HR, at CREPS Bordeaux Aquitaine. He then deals with questions related to the well-being of employees.
If Valentin Bertrand initially wanted to go into sport, his experience at KEDGE made him change his mind. Still on Bleus Handisport, it indicates: “ Basically, I wanted to be a commentator, a media consultant. Now, what I would really like is to work in human resources, manage a club. What I like is sharing, being human. »
