“Tony, this is out of the ordinary. We are all amazed,” underlined Christophe Galichon, general director of Pyrénées Presse. Obviously, the ceremony proposed by our newspaper this Friday evening at the Palais Beaumont in Pau delivered one more title to the multi-medalist and president of the organizing committee of the Paris Games, that of “super” Béarnais of the year.
Christophe Galichon, general director of Pyrénées Presse, and Vincent Martinelli, head of the sports department, spoke of the personality of Tony Estanguet, with his eldest Patrice who “rediscovered” his brother “who revealed himself this summer with a particular talent “.
Nicolas Sabathier – Ascension Torrent
Unfortunately, Tony Estanguet was unable to go on stage to receive this special prize. But through a recorded video message, he said he was “very honored” and proud of this distinction. “You know my attachment to our territory. Thank you for your recognition, your support and congratulations to all the other winners. Together, we will all continue to promote Béarn and our values of sharing and fraternity which are very dear to us,” promised the champion.
The other winners of this sixth edition, local talents, everyday heroes, “who are committed and act for a better society” underlined Tony Estanguet, were also in this spirit and caught up in great emotion.
Nicolas Sabathier – Ascension Torrent
Emeline Pierre is the Béarnaise of the year 2024, here alongside Nicolas Rebière, editor-in-chief of Pyrénées Presse, and Christian Pouyanne, CEO of Banque Pouyanne.
This was the case, for example, of Emeline Pierre who, as in 2021, was crowned Béarnaise of the year 2024. She succeeds the researcher and new academician of sciences Olivier Donard.
Like Tony, his performances this summer in Paris made the jury's choice easier. Gold medal in the queen distance of the 100 meters freestyle, bronze medal in the 100 m backstroke, the swimmer, beyond her Paralympic record, has thus concretized years of work, in the form of revenge and resilience ( read below).
“I remain the same person as before these medals” smiled the Béarnaise of the year. “Seeing that my native land continues to follow me gives me a special feeling.”
19,000 votes
In front of 500 people, the evening was punctuated with beautiful stories like his, put once again in the spotlight, after having, like so many others, nourished the columns of our newspapers throughout this year which was still rich in news.
At the end of the vote, which gathered 19,000 votes, seven other winners were honored, through the seven categories defined by Eric Bély, deputy editor-in-chief and pilot of this event.
To stay in the Olympic spirit, a category has appeared this year, with local athletes who participated in the Paris Games. Here, it was basketball player Marine Fauthoux, Olympic vice-champion, who won the jury's votes.
Nicolas Sabathier – Ascension Torrent
The young Oloronese singer Clara Guéry and the Terpsichore dance school.
It will be said that this year 2024 will remain marked by sport. Proof of this is still the winner of the “They move the lines” category, with Eric Deguil, the extreme kayaker who, if he moves the lines, does not hesitate, above all, to go beyond them. It is his daring side, here, which is rewarded after a year full of exploits.
He achieved the feat 80 years ago, the audacity he had, with many other companions, when it came to liberating France from the Nazi yoke. Since then, Colonel Achille Muller, 100 years old on January 3, has continued to be a reminder, as during the 80th anniversary of the Landings in June, where he went alongside Emmanuel Macron. That’s why he’s this year’s favorite. “I am very surprised” admitted the winner before recounting with humor his meeting with the heads of state in Brittany and Normandy.
Human adventure
Solidarity was also, as in every edition, highlighted. There was the mention of the one at work in the Aspe valley after the bad weather in September. It was also celebrated through Jocelyn (Jos) Noble, the former caregiver who set up his small business to offer stays to severely disabled people. “I'm just a little bandage for them. Leaving institutions for a vacation is something extraordinary for these people. And my reward is their smile,” testified Jos Noble.
This evening also made it possible to reward, in the hopeful category, the students of a BTS class from the Saint-Cricq high school in Pau who, under the leadership of their teacher Eric Bourdet, designed a robot for medical research. “It motivates us for the future” confided the winners. More than a simple exercise, a human adventure.
Nicolas Sabathier
The chairman of the board of directors of Pyrénées Presse and president of the Sud Ouest Group, Nicolas Sterckx, recalled the vocation of our newspapers, “to bring the territory to life and to make the region vibrate to the rhythm of these successes”.
A bit like what the famous SuperSoul Brothers group is experiencing, already on the Béarnais of the Year stage in 2020, to liven it up. But this time, it was as winners, as “creatives”, that they were rewarded.
Finally, to salute the commitment to sustainable development, the Amap du Béarn (33 associations) were awarded awards while this year the local network, the densest in France in support of local producers, celebrated its 20th anniversary.
Julien Lieb put on the show
A beautiful age and it is hardly that of the young Oloronaise Clara Guéry, 18 years old, who performed on stage this Friday evening, notably with the Terpsichore dance school. She won our talent competition organized with Créa-Sud (which also co-produced this evening) during the last Foire de Pau.
And to host this show, another talent, which is confirmed, our guest of honor, Julien Lieb performed three songs. “It’s a crazy honor to be here, on the land that made me grow up,” said the singer. The Star Academy 2023 finalist has started a beautiful artistic journey, a beautiful path which will perhaps one day lead him to be Béarnais of the year.
Nicolas Sabathier – Ascension Torrent
Julien Lieb put on a show on stage at the Palais Beaumont.
This honorary title which rewards, as we have seen in recent years, anonymous people or a little more media-oriented, but always committed, passionate, and exemplary values.
Emeline Pierre, the coronation of resilience
And two. Swimmer Emeline Pierre doubles the stake by being named Béarnaise of the year 2024. She had already received this distinction in 2021, which she then shared with another Paralympic athlete, Ahmed Andaloussi.
At the time, she had participated in the Tokyo Games but she was not able to shine as she wanted, sportingly speaking. This time, it's quite the opposite. At the Paris Paralympic Games this summer, the Billéroise, trained at the Dauphins Pau, was one of the queens of the long course, winning two medals, a bronze for the 100m backstroke, and especially the title in the 100m freestyle at the end of a breathtaking race against the ultra favorite Canadian.
More than a reward, an achievement for this young woman, now 25 years old, whose journey our newspaper has been following for around ten years already.
This Olympic consecration was first of all quite a revenge on destiny. At the age of 13, while she was a gymnast, she fell from a beam and was seriously injured: dislocation of the right elbow coupled with a fracture of the ulna.
Unfortunately, a surgical error did not allow her to regain all her motor skills and since then, she has been limited to the flexion-extension of the elbow and shoulder, and the supination-pronation of the wrist.
She then turned to swimming and proved, through hours of laps, that she had the talent to go far, and quickly. But the life of a top athlete has its ups and downs.
After Tokyo, she felt worse, especially mentally, as she explained to us this summer. We had to go back up the slope, rebuild a project, through a lot of questioning.
For two years, it is in Brest that this psychology student has made a new start. Self-sacrifice, work, patience did the rest.
