Like we all know, specifically in France, this summer is a sporting one with the launching of Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The most important and sports event of the World, gathering on July 26th thousands of sportsmen and women, coaches, and supporters. So, we have thought, that communicate this sport spirit all along the summer, to the workers and holidaymakers will be such a pleasant idea.
Let’s start officially with this blog articles series : "Abyss Ingredients at the heart of sport" dedicated to sport practice of our athletes, but also our Abyss team… Stay tuned!
Portrait of the day: Victor Coroller
Victor Coroller is a young Breton athlete. After discovering athletics by chance at secondary school, following in the footsteps of his friends, he finally got the taste for it by joining an athletics section at the Saint Vincent secondary school in Rennes. One thing led to another, and his career began to take shape very quickly in 2012, with a string of successes.
He left France 3 years ago to go to Zurich to give himself a fresh start, a new training cycle, and set his sights on the Paris 2024 Olympics, an Olympic dream unfortunately frustrated due to injury. 💪. |  |
Victor is the epitome of resilience, perseverance and fighting spirit, despite the frustrations and obstacles he faces.
We are very proud to sponsors him in his sporting career and to share a small extract with you in this interview.
What values does the sport pass on to you?
« Generally speaking, I'd say surpassing yourself, ambition and sharing.
And when I say sharing, I mean sharing in the broadest sense of the word: sharing emotions, but also sharing culture, which really brings diversity and a very important exchange. We're really rooted in these values right from the start.
I also think that the team spirit we develop is essential to our evolution, even if you might think that it's not useful in a sport like mine, which is individual.
But it's the opposite: I train in a multi-disciplinary club with many members from all generations, and we all share the same values. It's very enriching, and it's really guided me all my life because I've always trained as part of a group (since some people decide to train on their own).
So, I've really learnt to train in a group; to excel together, I've found my team within it, and I know that today I'd find it hard to train on my own.
And beyond that, all our partners who support us are important. Particularly in a sport like athletics, it's vital to know how to surround yourself with partners you can trust, because without them, you wouldn't be able to go very far.
Having a good, competent medical team that shows empathy is more than essential, because in difficult moments you must rely on them.
And of course, family and friends are integral to the teams that support us daily. I have a huge amount of respect and gratitude for all this support. »
Can you tell us about a success you're proud of, but also about a failure and what you learned from it?
« So, (he reflects), for my best memory, I'd say it was two years ago, when I did the minimums for the European championships, I beat my record which I hadn't beaten for 5 years.
It's been quite a long process, because when I started out I developed and saw results fairly quickly. I moved through the stages quickly, then I hit a bit of what you might call a low point, which got mixed up with the covid period. It was a pretty tough period, to be honest, because in addition to the conditions at that time, I was injured, which particularly spoilt my first Olympiad in 2021.
So, I decided to move to Switzerland and rediscover myself a bit, with a change of culture and environment. So, the fact that I was able to beat my record while going through so many difficult moments, breaking a certain rhythm in my life, but also learning new things in the process, only made the emotion of having beaten my record grow inside me. And that's what enabled me to qualify for my first European Championship final in 2022 in Munich.
Of course, I've had a lot of good moments, so I admit that it's rather difficult for me to name just one among so many.
I also think that the memories that helped launch my career are also engraved in my memory as the most beautiful. In 2015, for example, I won the European junior championships in Sweden, which helped get my career off the ground. It's one of my best memories, as it also comes from a situation that was extremely hard for me.
In fact, I was injured two or three weeks before the championships, completely preventing me from training. And if you don't train regularly in athletics, you can regress quite quickly. So, there was a lot of disappointment and frustration. I took part in the championships by really digging deep inside myself for the last resources I could still draw on despite the pain. I went on to win the title in Sweden and my career took off, an unforgettable memory.
In terms of failures, I'd say my current situation is frustrating, because injuries are always a brake on your career, never arriving at the right time. The disappointment is as great as my mental, physical and financial commitment. But I know that I'll bounce back even better in whatever way I can: by changing my project, by improving it, by solving my back problems, but above all, by taking a step back from what I'm doing.
I know that this will also enable me to move forward and put in place positive actions that will enable me to learn from this failure, to strengthen myself in my speciality and to build myself outside athletics too.
It's certainly a big disappointment, because I made a huge effort; then I fell; then I managed to get back on track; then I had a relapse. It's a constant rollercoaster ride, all that emotional lift is heavy to bear and that's what makes the disappointment even greater I think, but I like to think that it's also a door that opens up to rediscover yourself outside athletics.
Knowing how to bounce back after a setback means knowing how to deal with the discomfort, whether it's mental or financial. Then you learn from the failure and manage to rediscover the pleasure of practising. And above all, I think, to live more confidently with the difficult times I've experienced and to be able to relate to them later, remembering with pride the way in which I was able to move forward and keep moving forward.
And if I manage to perform even better afterwards, the emotion will be even greater. Because that's what training is all about, emotion. »
Why the 400m hurdles, among all the other athletics disciplines?
« It's true that when you're young, you're new to quite a few disciplines, but I liked the hurdles and in training I had certain qualities of muscular stamina.
It's a discipline that requires a lot of physical qualities, whether it's managing the interval between hurdles, or managing the effort too, because you still have to manage to cover 400 metres. So it's all these techniques that you have to master.
We also do a lot of other things in training, like strength training, aerobics, jogging, hurdle technique, sprinting, which really brings variety to training and I like that.
At college, I was quite good, and I've come to appreciate this discipline more and more as my performances have improved. »
What music do you listen to motivate you before a competition?
« I listen to music mainly to relax and condition myself. For that I admit I like listening to Latin music, it relaxes me and makes me feel more relaxed.
Otherwise, I like listening to film music like Gladiator, or something in that epic style, it really puts me in my own bubble and pushes me to give my best.’
Which athlete inspires you across all disciplines?
‘I'd definitely say Stéphane Diagana, world champion in my discipline. We've already had the opportunity to talk on a number of occasions and he's given me some very good advice. I really like the humility of his performance, his strength and his desire to succeed, even with the injuries he may have sustained during his career.
Outside my discipline, I really admire Teddy Riner, particularly for the longevity of his career. He hasn't lost more than 150 fights in years, his performances are second to none and I find it really inspiring.
Finally, I'd say Zidane for a number of qualities too: he's a real leader, a manager, and has a class and humility that I find really respectable. I really like the commitment and the team spirit that they all have in common. These are important values that we all learn to develop and that build us.
Can you tell us about a typical training day?
« I usually get up around 8am and training starts at 10am. When we arrive, we start straight away with 1h to 2 hours of sprint training. Then we have about an hour's break for lunch, followed by 1h-1h30 of weight training, which means we finish around 2.30pm. After that, I personally like to finish at 3pm with a physiotherapy session that lasts about 30 minutes. And finally, if I feel the need, I finish with a bit of meditation, at the end or beginning of the training session, depending on how I feel.
Then there's the psychological support, which is quite regular, and then all the business management that goes with it, the administrative management, the health aspect in particular, which takes up quite a lot of time. »
What advice would you give to any sportsmen and women who want to compete at a high level?
 | "Maybe I'd say take yourself seriously, but don't take yourself too seriously; really keep the fun aspect with the idea of preserving a bit of the ‘carefree childhood’ that you often lose when you focus too much on performance or results. I'd also say to believe in your dreams, never give up, and above all never be afraid of losing. These days, we live in a society that pushes performance and results. As sportsmen and women in particular, we're very quick to be categorised and judged on the basis of our poor performances. But I think it's very important not to forget that the result doesn't make the person. |
You can lose, it happens to everyone, and you even must prepare yourself so that you can bounce back and comeback better. I'm a great believer in that and that's what I try to inspire every day.”
Do you take food supplements as part of your sporting activities?
« So, in my discipline it's a bit special, because I'm very closely monitored for doping. You generally have to give a time of day to be tested, which is often in the morning between 7 and 8am, because you're sure to be at home.
But otherwise, yes, I do take it, and I think it's good for stability. So, I take spirulina, vitamins, magnesium, omega 3, collagen and phycocyanine. I sometimes take a bit of protein supplements, so here's my complete pack. »
A word for Abyss?
“So yes, thank you. Thank you for the support and the values that the company conveys. I've felt a real sense of team cohesion, particularly across the generations, and I really identify with that. Even during the difficult times I've been through, I've received messages of support that have really touched me. So once again, thank you for your unfailing support.”
Thank you Victor for your sharing!
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