Nickname: “The Wasp” (la Guêpe)
Sport: Fencing
Country: France
Flessel-Colovic won two gold, two bronze and a silver in three separate games (Atlanta, Sydney and Athens) and remains the top female medal-winner in French Olympic history. With a relentless style that routinely left opponents on the defensive, her darting athleticism gave those who knew little or nothing of the sport a chance to really appreciate just how aggressive — and thrilling — fencing can be. When “la Guêpe” was at her most dominant, the sight of her wielding an épée — lunging, parrying, stinging her foe — was downright breathtaking. Most of us have friends who laugh about fencing not being a “real” sport. Sit yours down in front of YouTube, call up a video of Flessel-Colovic in action, and enjoy the “I told you so” moment as their jaws drop.