Castres. Castres sportswomen export their talents

Yvette Monginou, 4th in the London Olympics in the 80m hurdles in 1948. Maryline Salvetat, cyclo-cross world champion in 2007. Camille Tissandié, recent French champion in the 200 and 400 meter medley in the Montpellier basin. In each era, the Castraises have been able to shine on the sports scene. The skills of our local champions are not limited to individual sports, however. Several of them have made a name for themselves and a place in various team sports, like Laura Condon (24) who sees life in green today. Since 2018, the young Castrese footballer has indeed set her cleats in one of the historic bastions of French football. Having become a Stéphanoise, Laura is living a real waking dream. “I’ve always been for Sainté. I didn’t hesitate, since I was little I’ve been a supporter. It was a great opportunity. It’s weird when you go from supporter to player. When I went to sign, in returning to the training center, it was a bit special for me. I took pictures and Roland Romeyer gave me a jersey. It was very special for me, “recalls the current number 7 of the Vertes. A choice that was not easy to make since the midfielder left Albi, D1 formation, for the lower level. But Laura absolutely does not regret this new direction given to her career. “I met several times Jérôme (Editor’s note Bonnet), who is our current coach, when he was training the Saint-Etienne U19s against whom we were playing when I was in Toulouse. He contacted me again to introduce me to the Saint-Etienne’s project to move up to D1. It interested me directly because I wanted a new project and to play something other than maintenance”, explains Laura. Objective achieved since ASSE was promoted by the executive committee of the French Football Federation, replacing Le Havre 12th and last in the D1 championship, during the last off-season. A logical decision after two seasons plagued by the pandemic which had prevented the Foréziennes from reaching their target.

Within this workforce, Laura has become an important pawn with 897 minutes played out of a possible 1008 after 12 days this season. A trajectory initiated on the side of FC Brassac then Castres Football Club, which became US Castres, before a jump into the deep end on the side of Toulouse FC where Laura discovered the first division when she was barely 16 years old. Several seasons in Albi and a freelance at NorthWestern University in Ohio will save her playing time. Since then, she can boast about fifty appearances within the elite, as much in D2, D a title of European U19 champion (2016), a final of the U19 World Cup (2016) and numerous selections for the French youth team. And that’s just the beginning. “We want to permanently install the club in D1. I don’t like to talk about myself, I’m more in the collective. I want to take a step forward and impose myself in the long term by being more decisive, especially on the offensive level” , analyzes Laura, who is also delighted with the best media coverage of women’s football. “All D1 matches are broadcast, but there is still progress to be made. It would be good for the other levels to be more visible”, estimates however the one who benefits from a half-time federal contract within the AS Saint-Etienne and also works in a communication agency in Saint-Etienne.

Laura Condon is not the only representative from Castres to have joined a high-level club. Rugby, hockey and volleyball have indeed made room for talented sportswomen from the banks of Agout. Examples to follow…

Volleyball: Chloe Domenichini

A former resident of Castres Massaguel Volley-Ball, Chloé Domenichini has made her merry way in the middle of volleyball. Converted to the pass, this 25-year-old former receptionist and central finished her training at the Federal Institute of Volleyball (IFVB) before embarking on the professional environment near Mougins and Istres. An Istrian formation with which Chloé is currently the leader of group A of the Elite division, the second national level.

Rugby: Safi N’Diaye and Camille Imart

Both born in Castres, respectively in 1988 and 1995, Safi N’Diaye and Camille Imart are among the best French players in their position as evidenced by their presence in the France team. Second or third line of Montpellier, Safi has forged a solid record. Champion of France of federal 3 in 2005 and federal 2 in 2011 with Castres Rugby Féminin, the former basketball player has since compiled 6 first division titles, more than 80 selections for the France team and a place in the world XV of the decade at the 2020 World Rugby Awards ceremony.

Daughter and granddaughter of a rugby player, Camille Imart started out in Soual before joining the hope center of the Jolimont high school in Toulouse. After evolving under the overcoat of Saint-Orens, she joined Stade Toulousain in 2015 and won two titles of vice-champion of France as opener. She has 9 selections with the XV of France.

Hockey: Lore Baudrit, Lisa and Lucie Delcroix

Born in 1991 in Castres, Lore Baudrit started hockey on the ice of the Archipelago. A hobby that quickly became a passion for the woman who now wears the jersey of Modo, in Sweden, after a freelance at the Montreal Canadiens in particular. D1A World Champion in 2018, this striker is part of the France team with whom she has almost 200 caps. A trajectory that surely inspired Lisa and Lucie Delcroix.

The Delcroix sisters have hockey in their blood. Lucie (26) won the bronze medal at the U18 World Championships in 2013 before joining the ranks of the senior French team. Competition in which Lisa (23) then completed the family collection by winning silver in 2014 and gold in 2015.

Rugby, volleyball, hockey… all-terrain Castrais women