Marlène Harnois

About Marlène Harnois

Beyond her love affair with France, Marlène Harnois’s story is above all an unconventional journey driven by the determination to fulfill her dream.

Born in Montreal on October 22, 1986, the taekwondo prodigy quickly stood out, winning the US Open at the age of 13, followed by a bronze medal at the Junior World Championships the following year.

Subsequently, the French Taekwondo Federation offered her a place in the Elite team for the 2001-2002 sports season, as part of the “Francophone Solidarity” program. Thus, the Quebec native became a training partner of Pascal Gentil and Myriam Baverel at the CREPS in Aix en Provence.

However, Marlène had to return to Canada at the end of the program and once again faced a lack of infrastructure, training partners, and funding. Her Olympic dream slipped away as she no longer had the means to pursue it, leading the young taekwondo athlete to end her sports career.

In 2006, Myriam Baverel, who had become an Olympic medalist in 2004 and then a national coach, contacted her again to present a challenge: “Are you up for it or not, come back to France and let’s go to the Olympics together?”

After a 4-year hiatus, Marlène seized the opportunity, knowing it was a huge risk, but chose to bet on herself and find the means to achieve her goals. Barely an adult, she left her country, her surroundings, and her family to rebuild everything thousands of kilometers away and start anew.

The comeback was tough, much tougher than expected, but the dream was once again within reach, Marlène knew it. She believed in her potential and persevered. A few days after obtaining her naturalization, she won her first European title, marking her official entry among “les bleus”.

A substitute in 2004 for Canada, pending naturalization in 2008, her moment finally arrived in 2012. For her first Olympics, the energetic blonde returned from London “bronzed.” A reward she owed above all to relentless hard work and to all those who contributed behind the scenes to this achievement.

Alongside her sports career, Marlène Harnois pursued a dual project. Today, holding a BEES 2nd degree and a degree in journalism, she works as a communications officer at Conix Services.

Generous by nature, “The one who fell in love with France” is involved with associations and clubs, particularly to promote her sport but also sports practice in general. Having received so much, she believes it is her turn to give back to society.

Now that she has tasted the joys of her first Olympic podium, the new ambassador of French taekwondo has decided to continue her journey to the Rio Games in 2016, this time to make the Marseillaise resonate!