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His journey is far from ordinary. Originally from Boulogne-Billancourt, but a child of the world, Romain Cannone grew up between Brazil and New York. Imagine a kid discovering fencing at an academy in New York while his parents run a macaron shop. Yes, macarons and blades, a funny combo, right?
What he has done on the international stage is just amazing. Romain Cannone is the guy who starts at the Olympic Games as a substitute and becomes Olympic champion at 24 by beating several world top athletes. Since then, he has chained world titles and team performances, classy!
On the personal side, we know he is not just a fencer. Committed to his career, he even worked at EDF, a real serious guy who manages his life away from the noise of sport, which is pretty cool when you follow his trajectory.
Romain Cannone: an Olympic champion with an unexpected destiny
So you, you’re surely wondering who this Romain Cannone really is? Honestly, his story is more than just a sports journey. Born in 1997, he is a Frenchman whose roots swing between France, Brazil, and the United States.
At 12, a detail made me smile: he started fencing in New York, with his father running a macaron shop. Not common, right? This boy first discovered foil before dedicating himself to the épée, a choice he will not regret.
His return to France in 2016 took him back to the VGA Saint-Maur club, where he forged his style. Quite calm, far from the star system, he moved forward at his own pace, without making too much noise.
This discretion ended at the Tokyo Games in 2021, where he was world No. 47. A real cold shower for his opponents who didn’t see him coming. He snatched gold and became the first French fencer to be individual Olympic champion in ages.
The path before glory: a trajectory between passion and surprises
The path of Romain Cannone was not a smooth river, that’s for sure. He started fencing at the end of his childhood in New York, a bit by chance, a bit by curiosity. What’s crazy is that he was not an ultra-dominant beginner immediately.
He turned to the épée, coached by Michael Mokretsov, a name often mentioned when talking about good trainers. Romain returned to France in 2016, where he continued his training in a club that would help him break out: VGA Saint-Maur.
Before Tokyo, he was not really the one people bet on. He also took care of his professional life, working at EDF, which is a real wink to the image of a full-time athlete. This guy is a real multitasker, and it suits him well.
Career and medals: from shadow to spotlight
So Tokyo was a turning point. He arrived as a substitute, with no big pressure, and bam, he continued his way by eliminating several of the best at the world championships. The final? He won by beating world No. 1. Honestly, I wasn’t ready for that.
After that, it was a fireworks show. Double world champion in Cairo in 2022, European team medalist, bronze at the 2023 Worlds. Oh yes, and European team champion in 2024. His place in the world top is now well established.
His record is impressive, but Romain Cannone remains humble, almost surprised by what he achieves. A highly creative guy, who surprises with his incisive and tactical style, it’s clearly not copy-paste. He is one of the few to be crowned both at the Olympics and the world championships in épée.
- 🥇 Individual gold at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics
- 🌍 Double world champion 2022 (individual and team)
- 🇪🇺 European team champion in 2024
- 🥉 Individual world bronze 2023
- 🏆 Multiple podiums in World Cup
Private life and anecdotes: between fencing and macarons
Would you like to know a funny thing? His parents, by the way, have a macaron shop in New York. Not usual for a top-level athlete, right? It gives him a slightly sweet side, contrasting with the sharp épée he handles so well.
Beyond the pistes, Romain leads a fairly classic life, balancing work at EDF and fencing. Which makes his gold medal even more surprising, since he juggles those hats alone. Well, everyone thinks what they want about this choice.
In 2024, after the somewhat disappointing Paris Games for him, he took a step back. A calmer 2024-2025 season, limited to a few competitions, like the Challenge Monal, where he came back to rub shoulders with the top level smoothly.
An endearing personality, discreet, but determined. You feel that even if the noise around him dies down, the flame still burns.
Current commitments and collaborations with other fencing stars
Since his last big event at the Paris Games, Romain Cannone has chosen to focus on a gradual return, especially at the VGA Saint-Maur club. There, he shares his experience with the younger ones, motivating the new generation.
He has also gotten closer to other big names in fencing like Yannick Borel and Alexandre Bardenet. Together, they form a respected trio, even though in recent years there have been some tensions within the team.
Romain has been able to take advantage of this collective experience to prepare a revival. His participation in the Challenge Monal in 2025, for example, was a real return to roots, in a setting he knows well and where he always honed his skills.
Naturally, we look forward to seeing what he will do in the coming seasons because the fatal blade is still sought by him, and we haven’t finished talking about him.
Romain Cannone, a champion to watch in the years to come
Romain is a bit the perfect example of success that first comes from patience and work. He didn’t explode overnight, it took time, but here he is today among the greats.
His discretion off the piste is quite refreshing. He doesn’t show off, he just does, and that’s it. That kind of attitude speaks to me, especially in a world where everything is often too visible and noisy.
The road to future successes remains open, even if, at 29, he knows that competition is tough and that in fencing, everything can go very fast. But if he keeps this sharp style and his steel mentality, he will go far, believe me.
Enjoy yourself, take a look at his journey on Equipe de France or his profile on L’Équipe, it’s captivating.
