She changed French gymnastics history with one explosive performance. Coline Devillard earned a monumental title, becoming the first French woman to win the European vault championship.
Her journey started early. Born in 2000, she took her first steps in a baby gym class at age three. Her father, a former gymnast, introduced her to the sport.
That early start built a fierce dedication. She trained relentlessly, honing her power and precision on the vault apparatus. For seventeen years, she developed her craft at AL Dijoin before moving to Meaux Gymnastique in 2023.
Now training 30 hours a week at the national institute in Paris, she works with a dedicated coaching team. Her compact frame, standing 4 foot 10, became her signature advantage.
Beyond competition, she aims to coach future generations. Her career is a testament to how focus and power can shatter long-standing barriers.
Career Highlights and Gymnastics Journey
The path from junior meets to the senior stage was marked by steady progress and key victories. Early international results in 2012 laid the groundwork. A strong return in 2014 included gold on vault and beam.
From Junior Competitions to Senior Success
Moving to the senior level in 2016, the athlete quickly made her mark. Her first major senior triumph came at the 2017 European Championships. She captured the gold medal on vault, a historic first for France.
This victory established her as a top specialist. She backed it up with a gold medal at the Paris World Cup that same year. Consistency became her trademark on the apparatus.
Key Achievements in European Championships and World Cups
Team success followed at the 2018 European Championships, where France earned a silver medal. Her individual World Cup results between 2018 and 2020 were impressive. She collected bronze and silver medals against world-class competition.
A significant milestone was reached at the 2022 World Championships. There, she won a bronze medal on vault, ending a long medal drought for French women. Her score in the final was a solid 14.166.
| Competition Type | Gold Medals | Silver Medals | Bronze Medals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apparatus World Cup | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| World Challenge Cup | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 5 | 2 | 2 |
Devillard’s dominance continued in 2023 with gold at European Championships and World Cups. She also contributed to a historic bronze team medal at the World Championships. Her career is a record of breaking barriers in artistic gymnastics.
Injuries, Training, and Recovery Insights
Injuries became a persistent challenge, testing her resolve throughout her career. The first significant setback occurred in 2016 with an ankle growth anomaly. This disrupted her training rhythm during a crucial development year.
Overcoming Ankle Injuries and Other Setbacks
Additional injuries followed in quick succession. A 2017 tibia stress fracture cost her two months of competition time. The next year brought a bone and ligament injury that prevented her from competing at World Championships.
September 2019 saw another ankle injury during training. This forced withdrawal from World Championships just days before competition. By 2022, she faced a fractured thumb alongside yet another ankle injury.
Training Routines and Coaching Support
Her training commitment remained unwavering at 30 hours weekly. She works with an extensive coaching team at INSEP in Paris. Each coach addresses a specific apparatus or physical need.
After 2021 disappointment, she enlisted French athletics star Ladji Doucouré. He transformed her vault approach by teaching sprinting techniques. She learned to use runway marks like long jumpers for better precision.
The balance beam remains part of her training repertoire. However, vault became her singular focus following each recovery cycle. Her coaching team includes specialists for every aspect of her gymnastics.
Coline Devillard: Breaking Barriers in International Gymnastics
Through World Cup circuits and championship finals, she established herself as a force in women’s artistic gymnastics. Her consistent performances built a reputation for technical excellence.
World Challenges, Vault Mastery, and Medal Milestones
The athlete accumulated five gold medals across World Cup and Challenge Cup events. Her dominance on the apparatus circuit translated to major championships.
At the 2022 World Championships, Devillard earned a bronze medal with a solid 14.166 score. This achievement ended a long medal drought for French women’s artistic gymnastics.
The 2023 World Championships delivered France’s first team medal since 1950. Despite finishing ninth in the vault final, her contribution secured historic bronze.
Aspirations for the 2024 Olympic Games and Future Ambitions
Competing in the Olympic Games represented the pinnacle of her career goals. She aimed to showcase her skills on home soil in Paris.
When asked about continuing after setbacks, the gymnast explained her motivation simply. “I love this sport,” she stated, emphasizing her unfinished goals.
Team achievements always held special meaning for her. The 2018 European Championships team silver remained her most memorable result.
Looking Ahead: Shaping the Future of Artistic Gymnastics
The future of French gymnastics now carries the imprint of a vault specialist whose career redefined what was possible. Coline Devillard’s three European titles and World Championships bronze medal broke long-standing barriers. Her journey demonstrates how focus and power can achieve historic results.
After the 2024 Olympic Games, her path turns toward coaching and mentorship. She aims to become a fitness trainer and gymnastics coach. This next step will channel her deep technical knowledge and hard-won recovery experience.
Her most cherished achievement remains the team silver from the 2018 European Championships. This highlights her belief that collective success in gymnastics holds profound meaning. It is a value she will undoubtedly pass on.
Devillard’s legacy is not just a list of medals but a roadmap of resilience. Future gymnasts will study her vault mastery and unwavering dedication. Her story continues, shaping the sport for years to come.
