This Wednesday, March 5, a special ceremony took place at Nice’s town hall. Yves Cordier received the Medal of Youth, Sports, and Associative Commitment.
In the presence of Philippe Lescure, former president of the French Triathlon Federation and Cédric Gosse, the new president, emotions were running high.
Philippe Lescure began his speech by thanking the former athlete for his achievements in the sport, namely European champion in 1989 and French champion in 1988 and 1992. His speech was brief but concise. It was then the current president Cédric Gosse’s turn, where he admitted that he discovered triathlon thanks to Yves Cordier. He praised his unyielding humility, and said it was “a privilege to have you in this sport.”
A Beautiful Friendship
Then it was Christian Estrosi‘s turn to take the microphone. “I am very happy to present you with this medal, both as mayor and as a friend.” The mayor didn’t hesitate to add a touch of lightness and a bit of humor by sharing an anecdote. He confessed, “when we ran the half-marathon in Nice, I finished 6 hours behind him.” The whole room smiled, and he continued by saying, “the Ironman in Nice is thanks to you, you gave us everything.” Christian Estrosi described Yves Cordier as a “good, simple, discreet, and humble man.” Christian Estrosi concluded his speech by emphasizing “a friendship that has never stopped existing.”
Finally, the emotional triathlete thanked each member present in the Chéret room of the town hall. He said, “it is a great joy for me to be here this evening.” After thanking everyone, he admitted, “I love the city of Nice, you have given me so many emotions.” He continued, “what I remember are the meetings, the travels, and that rivalry that fueled my athletic life.” He concluded by thanking Christian Estrosi, Philippe Lescure, and Cédric Gosse for their words and their friendship.
