World Championships Sports Aerobics 2rd to 4th June 2000 Riesa Germany, press conference May

Gregory Alcan, the Frenchman with the English first name: the temperament of the mother... He has got his fans all over the world - and on the stage of the World Aerobics Championships in Riesa. He is dark-skinned, with a shaven head. Once in action, he talks and dances with his hands, feet, eyes and mouth. His trainer is standing at the bottom of the stage. Break. She gives directions. There he stands quietly with his calm eyes, listening to her words. Absolutely composed. He is gathering new strength. He needs it as he is taken on the feat of entering in two categories in Riesa - the individual and the trio competitions. After the podium training, Gregory Alcan and his trainer Valerie Grandjean met us for a GYMmedia interview.
Gregory will start in Individual men competition...	... and with Xavier Julien und Olivier Salvan in trio competition
Tell us something about yourself first, you speak a bit of German, don't you?... I'm twenty years old, student of economics at the National Sports Institute in Paris. You've got an English first name. How did this come about? My ancestors came from the Caribbean and emigrated to Canada from there. Then my parents moved to France. I'm a Parisian, born in that town on 21st August 1979. I'm studying and practising aerobics today. Do you come from a family of sports enthusiasts? You could say that, indeed. My mother used to be an athlete, my brother Arius Filet is a member of the French team. He does the triple jump. From my mother, I inherited the temperament. GYMmedia-Talk with coach Valerie Grandjean, Gregory Alcan, hostess and reporter Hans-Jürgen Zeume What are the hopes you came to Riesa with?Last year you won the silver medal at the World Championships in Hanover. Valerie Grandjean: Let me answer that one, it's better. We want to become world champion. Is the double burden of individual and trio not too much for Gregory? No problem for me, it's not as difficult as it may look. German newspapers wrote that aerobics in France enjoy all-round attention. Valerie Grandjean: No, no, even though there is money from the state. They also pay my work as a trainer. The national team comprising 15 members, are all studying at the Institute of Sports and that's were we have a gym, too. How many hours do you train a week? I train about 15 to 20 hours. The Olympic premiere of aerobics, possibly in the year 2008, is still a long time off - too long? Not for me, I'd be 29 then. The World Games take place in Japan in 2001, the games of all non-Olympic disciplines. Is that a substitute for the French team? Valerie Grandjean: The competitions of Nakita are a wonderful goal for us. And this is what our team is preparing for also in Riesa.

	Interview with Gregory Alcan (FRA), one of the World Championship favourites Thuesday, 01-06-00		back to navigation
	World Championships Sports Aerobics 2nd to 4th June 2000, Riesa Sonja Schmeißer, Hans-Jürgen Zeume, Haiko Breitner und Lutz Rogge