It’s a race that deep down he no longer hoped to win. Legion of Honor“>Charles Coste, 97, is the oldest French Olympic medalist still alive. And the most patient too. In 1948, on the track of the Herne Hill velodrome in south-east London, he won the Olympic team gold medal in track cycling at the London Games. In the process, he will be received at the Élysée, like all the other French medalists, by President Vincent Auriol.
In the process, Charles Coste won the Grand Prix des Nations in 1949 and competed in two Tours de France and three Tours of Italy. Retired for nearly forty years, he was waiting in his apartment in Bois-Colombes (Hauts-de-Seine), for a gesture of recognition from the French state. He had already told us four years ago: “Since 1952, all French Olympic champions automatically receive the Legion of Honor and me, it seems that I was Olympic champion too early”.
“I never thought I would wait 74 years”
Charles Coste had multiplied the letters a few years ago but without success. His frustration, however, finally found an end at the start of 2022. On Monday, when he opened his mail, Charles Coste learned that after 74 years of waiting, he would be appointed to the rank of Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur. “It shocked me,” he admits. Finally, I am no longer forgotten by the Republic. And through me, it is also my friends from the French pursuit team who are honoured. They left before me. But I know why I wanted to stay alive. I was waiting for this sign. »
According to our information, the awarding of the Legion of Honor comes directly from the services of the Presidency of the Republic. A few months ago, the decision had been made. And to show him that he had not been forgotten, Charles Coste had been invited this summer to the Élysée Palace for the reception of the Olympic medalists from the Tokyo 2021 Games.
In his apartment where he lives with his wife, Charles Coste treasures his memories. In particular, he still has a leather collection of newspaper clippings relating to his exploits. The leather cracks, the paper has yellowed, but her memory hasn’t wavered. He perfectly remembers beautiful things, those of the time of friends and velodromes, of the post-war period and of his hopes. He remembers in particular with precision his exploits in the British capital. Beating the English at home is always a gourmet pleasure when you are a French sportsman. “When we took the English out in the semi-finals, they weren’t expecting it,” he smiles. And in the final, we beat the Italians. I still remember that lap that I ran flat out and that blew up their team. His gold medal, which he treasures, was given to him in a box. “At the time, we did not pass it around your neck,” he says.
Smiling, Charles Coste said he was ready to wait until the 2024 Paris Games, the year of his centenary. “But I’m really happy it’s happening now. I am an old gentleman but I have long felt a form of injustice in being forgotten in this way. I helped give a medal to France and it’s good to receive one in exchange. But never, I would have thought to wait 74 years. »
Deep down, the 1948 Olympic champion believed so little in this happy outcome that he did not look into the terms of the red ribbon. “I have to find a personality who agrees to give it to me, he admits. At my age, that’s a lot of hassle. If I could choose, I would like it to be Tony Estanguet, the boss of the Organizing Committee for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, who would give it to me. It would be a nice symbol. I don’t know if he knows me. In any case, if we could not drag too long to find a date, that would be good. I am patient but at my age, there may be limits…”
