As part of the SPORTEL Awards 2025 ceremony, the Autobiography Prize will be awarded to Marie-José Pérec, three-time Olympic champion and legendary figure in French athletics, for her book “Ma vie olympique”.
A global athletics icon, Marie-José Pérec made history by winning the 400m Olympic gold medal in Barcelona in 1992. However, she then achieved an unprecedented double in the 200m–400m at the 1996 Atlanta Games.
Named Champion of Champions several times by L’Équipe newspaper, she is also a member of the International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF) Hall of Fame. She was also awarded the title of Commander of the Légion d’Honneur in 2024. Her fluid, aerial style and inimitable stride earned her the nickname “La Gazelle,” a symbol of elegance and determination for generations of athletes and sports enthusiasts.
A sincere and intimate narrative
Published in 2025, “My Olympic Life” chronicles forty years of an exceptional journey, from its beginnings in Guadeloupe to the lighting of the Olympic cauldron at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
With rare candor, the former sprinter recalls not only her triumphs, but also her doubts, invisible wounds, and the loneliness that sometimes accompanies her greatest achievements. A powerful testament to resilience, communication, and the power of sport, the book reveals the inspiring woman behind this extraordinary athlete.
A strong link with the SPORTEL Awards
In 2024, the documentary “Marie-Jo,” directed by Marc Sauvourel for Canal+, won the Best Biographical Film award at the ceremony. Aired just days before the lighting of the Olympic cauldron at the Paris Games, the film already highlighted her unique legacy.
A prestigious literary award
The SPORTEL Autobiography Award is given annually to the athlete whose autobiography is considered the most complete, both for the quality of the writing and the depth of the testimony. After Dominique Rocheteau in 2024, another French legend joins this list of works that have become essential references in sports literature.
According to Marie-José Pérec, it is a tremendous honor to receive the award. “I feel deeply honored to receive this award for a book whose sole purpose is to demonstrate that it is possible. Regardless of origin, skin color, or social background, anyone can believe in their dreams and make them come true.
“If these pages can inspire even just a handful of young people to dare, to persevere and to have faith in themselves, my joy will be boundless,” he said.
The award will be presented on Monday, October 20, 2025, at the Grimaldi Forum Monaco, during the SPORTEL Awards ceremony.
