Laura Tarantola

Laura Tarantola was born in Annemasse, France, in 1994. Her introduction to water sports was not immediate, as she explored various activities such as dance, tennis, and basketball. In 2008, at the age of 14, she joined the Aviron Grenoblois, a rowing club in Grenoble. Initially, her primary motivation was the opportunity to spend time with friends and participate in group activities like rowing camps and tournaments. This experience fostered a growing interest and dedication to the sport.

Her affinity for rowing developed significantly in the subsequent years. By 2014, within six years of beginning her training, she advanced to join the France Élite team. A key milestone in her early career was in 2016 when she won her first French championship in women’s lightweight single sculls. Throughout her athletic journey, Tarantola successfully balanced her elite rowing commitments with academic pursuits, completing a two-year legal studies program and gaining admission to the Grenoble School of Management, demonstrating her ability to manage multiple demanding commitments.

Laura Tarantola achieved significant international success, notably securing a silver medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in the Lightweight Women’s Double Sculls. Prior to this, she won a gold medal at the 2018 World Rowing Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, in the women’s lightweight single sculls event. She also earned silver medals at the 2018 European Rowing Championships in Glasgow and the 2019 European Rowing Championships in Lucerne, both in lightweight sculls, and a bronze medal at the 2023 European Rowing Championships in Bled for lightweight double sculls. Beyond her athletic career, since December 2019, she has applied her focus and discipline as a workplace well-being manager at a TGV passenger services unit for SNCF.