PAUTY Maxime

General
TURNING POINT
He said that the individual World Cup gold medal that he won in 2018 was a turning point for his self-belief and attitude towards fencing. In the two previous years he had served as a replacement for the French senior team for the world and European championships, as well as the 2016 Olympic Games, and was questioning his future in the sport. "At age 24 I couldn't waste any more time, I had to decide whether elite sport was really for me. Winning a [first] World Cup allowed me to believe in myself, to believe that I deserved to be here [at the highest level]. From that point forward, I decided to give everything to fencing, and invest 200% to achieve my objectives. That victory helped me regain my confidence after two years of doubt." (ISSY TV YouTube, 23 Oct 2018; lemondedelescrime.wordpress.com, 08 Jun 2018)

OCCUPATION
He has studied journalism and worked in the field, but in 2021 he spoke about a decision to focus primarily on his sporting career, for which he is supported by the French Gendarmerie since 2019. "When I finished my [journalism] studies, I told myself that my dream was to be a fencing champion. However, if I had to work a career alongside fencing I could certainly continue to compete, but I would not be able to achieve my goal of becoming the best. You have to be 100% committed. So I made the decision to take the risk of not working and only do fencing. I had the chance to sign two contracts - one with the club of Issy [Mousquetaires], which pays me as a fencer, and one with the Gendarmerie. I am part of the Joinville battalion. These two contracts allow me to make a living from fencing. I'm lucky enough to do just that and to be a professional fencer." He has previously worked as a presenter on the web show 'The Lounge' for INSEP TV, the online channel for the National Institute of Sport, Expertise, and Performance in Paris, France. (interviewsport.fr, 07 Mar 2021; lessor.org, 24 Apr 2021)