Méline Rollin: perseverance as a guiding principle

A family story 🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒

Running in the Rollin family is a long family story. Only the mother, Karen, is not involved. Her father Stéphane, a former French champion in the master's category, encouraged her to pursue athletics from a young age. At 9 years old, she started athletics and tried all the offered disciplines: jumping, throwing & running. Just like her brother 👦, she fully embraced the practice but gradually focused on running, particularly middle-distance. Supported by her entire lineage, she worked hard and achieved some very promising results ✅: French vice-champion in the 3,000 m in the junior category, qualifications for the European cross-country championships, and later a title of French champion hope in the 5,000 m. 

Running as an escape 📚

Alongside her training, Méline remains grounded in her studies and enrolls in a mathematics degree at the university of Reims 🔬. Although balancing studies and competitions can be tricky at times, the young athlete stays focused and earns her degree without too much difficulty 🎓. Running is also a way for her to clear her mind and release pressure during exams and intense stress periods. After earning her degree, a master's path opens up, and she decides to continue in the field of statistics 📊. 

A killer mindset 🧠

In sports, the young woman doesn't reduce her training and progresses rapidly 🏃. In December 2022, she takes on her first marathon in Valencia and completes the 42 km in just over 2h30. A very promising start since the timing was announced as the best national performance of the year ⭐️. Following this success, she begins to contemplate the possibility of qualifying for the Paris Olympic Games, due to be held two years later at home 🏡. On October 15, 2023, she faces great disappointment when she crosses the line at the Amsterdam Marathon, 5 seconds too late to meet the qualifying standards for the Olympic event. Her chances of competing in Versailles quickly fade. But impossible is not an option for Méline, and the Ardennaise returns to training with perseverance and determination. In February 2024, her last chance for qualification presents itself at the Seville Marathon. She gathers all her strength, and breaks the French record 💥 for the discipline, in 2 hours 24 minutes and 12 seconds. This resounding success allows her to kill two birds with one stone 🪨, securing a spot for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Her journey to qualification will also result in the short film "Dare 2h24’12", reflecting on the athlete's psychological journey, released ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics.

So, if you want to see more about the Ardennes performer, do not hesitate to watch her film. You will be impressed by her mentality and her unwavering smile 💪.