Romain ALLEMAND
Snowboarder

Romain received a grant to help him enter international competitions

What is your sporting background?
I started snowboarding at the age of two with my father, and then began taking part in regional competitions. I started winning and proving myself. From there, I moved on to national competitions. At first it was challenging, as the level was far higher than on the regional circuit. But I still managed to hold my own and even claim the French championship title on several occasions. I then joined the Pôle France residential training program at Font-Romeu and began competing at European level. From that point on, I progressed quickly. I achieved my first victories on the European Cup circuit, including two overall circuit wins. These performances allowed me to participate in the freestyle snowboarding world cups for two seasons. This allowed me to compete against the world's best riders (including those I used to watch and admire on TV). I made my World Cup debut at 17 and have already claimed two podiums: a silver in the Tignes slopestyle and a bronze in the big air in Coire, Switzerland. Then I achieved two fourth places at the last freestyle snowboarding world championships, which secured me a place at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan.

How do you view your profession today?
I have a positive view of my profession. I see all athletes pushing their limits day after day in training. I can see that my sport is constantly evolving and driving major changes. I also see that it is under threat because of climate change :  there is less and less snow in snow parks.

How do you see yourself in 5 years? In 10 years?
In five years, I see myself competing at my second Olympic Games with one goal in mind: winning. My ambition is to reach my peak level and challenge for the world's top spot. In ten years, I hope to be living entirely from my passion. Maybe I would have stopped competing, but I will never stop snowboarding and I will make snowboarding videos.

Interview conducted in 2026
Photographs taken in 2026 by Yama Ndiaye