Laurent Vidal facts for kids
Laurent Vidal (born February 18, 1984 – died November 10, 2015) was a talented French triathlete. He was a three-time French Champion in 2009, 2011, and 2012. Laurent also competed in two Olympic Games. He finished 36th at the Beijing 2008 Olympics and achieved an amazing 5th place at the London 2012 Olympics.
Laurent Vidal was known for always doing well in the International Triathlon Union (ITU) races. He kept getting better each year. He split his time living in Sète, France, and Christchurch, New Zealand. New Zealand was the home of his fiancée, fellow triathlete Andrea Hewitt. Laurent also had a college degree in Sports Management.
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Laurent Vidal's Sports Journey
Laurent Vidal started his international triathlon career in Hungary. There, he became the European Vice Champion as a junior athlete. The next year, in 2003, he placed fourth at the Junior World Championships in New Zealand.
In 2008, he represented France at the Olympic Games in Beijing. In 2010, he won the Oceania Championships. He continued to do well, placing 7th at both the European and World Championships in 2011.
Big Wins in 2012
The year 2012 was a great one for Laurent. He started by winning the Oceania Cup in Geelong, Australia. He also won the first World Cup race of the year in Mooloolaba, Australia. Later, he earned a bronze medal at the first World Championship event in Sydney, Australia. In June 2012, he became the top-ranked athlete on the ITU Point List for the first time.
At the London Olympic Games, Laurent Vidal finished in an impressive 5th place. He ended 2012 with another win at the famous GARMIN Alpen-Triathlon in Germany. He also won his third national title and finished 7th at the World Championships.
After taking a break after the Olympics, Laurent still ranked 7th in the World Triathlon Series in 2013. This was his fourth time finishing in the top 8 since 2009. In 2013, he also won the Kinloch Oceania Cup in New Zealand. He won the GARMIN Alpen-Triathlon in Germany again, just like in 2012.
Team Competitions
In France, Laurent Vidal competed in the well-known French Club Championship Series. He was part of the TC Lievin team. In Germany, he was a guest star for the EJOT Team Buschhütten. He raced for them in the Bundesliga league. Laurent was also a member of the French Military Triathlon Team.
Later Life and Passing
In April 2014, Laurent Vidal had a serious health scare while swimming in Sète. He suffered a cardiac arrest, which meant his heart stopped. This led to him being put into a special sleep by doctors. Because of this, he had to stop competing in triathlons. He then focused on coaching his fiancée, Andrea Hewitt.
Sadly, on November 10, 2015, Laurent Vidal passed away at his home in Gigean, France. He was 31 years old. His death was also due to cardiac arrest.
See also
In Spanish: Laurent Vidal para niños
