Manon Brunet

Manon Brunet was born on February 7, 1996, in Lyon, France. Her journey into fencing began at the age of seven, at the Sabre au Clair club in Lyon. She had previously tried taekwondo and dancing but found her passion in fencing, drawn by the unique ‘disguise’ of the mask and the sport’s comprehensive demands—technical, physical, and tactical. Her talent was quickly recognized, leading her to the national training hub (Pole Espoir) in Orleans, France, where she joined the Cercle d’Escrime Orleanais club. This progression further led her to the National Institute for Sport, Expertise and Performance (INSEP) in Paris. Her initial timidity was overcome by the freedom she found behind the fencing mask.

Throughout her career, Brunet has consistently demonstrated her abilities on the world stage. She earned a marketing degree from EDHEC Business School in Roubaix. She is an Armed Forces Athlete, balancing her military occupation with intense training schedules of up to six hours a day, five days a week. Her performances at the European and World Championships solidified her standing, securing multiple medals. She achieved individual bronze and team silver at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. Following these Games, Brunet made a significant training switch, moving from INSEP to the Christian Bauer Academy in Orleans, aiming to redefine her approach and explore new development pathways. In 2024, she notably clinched a gold medal in the individual event at the Paris Olympic Games, defeating fellow countrywoman Sara Balzer. Brunet is married to fellow French sabre fencer Bolade Apithy; they train together.

Brunet’s career has included overcoming injuries, such as recurrent tendinitis in her adductor muscles from 2020 to 2021 and a right shoulder injury in 2022 that required surgery. These experiences highlighted her resilience and led her to work with a psychologist to manage motivation and recovery. Her dedication has resulted in significant accolades, including being named Knight of the National Order of Merit by the French government in 2021 and Female Fencer of the Year by the French Fencing Federation in the same year. Her ambition remains focused on continued excellence in the sport, aspiring to further gold medals.