Stéphane Lecat (born 6 August 1971, Nogent-sur-Marne) is a professional marathon swimmer from France who was inducted in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame in 2007 as an Honour Swimmer. He was also the 2018 recipient of the Irving Davids/Captain Roger W. Wheeler Memorial Award. He was named as one of the 101 Movers And Shakers In The Open Water Swimming World by the Daily News of Open Water Swimming.

Administration

• He is the Directeur de L’Eau libre for the Fédération Française de Natation (French Swimming Federation) – Directeur du Développement et des Équipes de France Eau Libre chez Ministère de la Ville, de la Jeunesse et des Sports.
• He is the National Team Open Water Program Director (Directeur du Développement et des Équipes de France Eau Libre) and is responsible for the administrative work, development and organisation for 41 races every year in France and the preparation strategy for the French National Team’s main international events every year.
• In the 2017 season, they were the top teams at both the World Championships with 4 gold medals, 1 silver and 1 bronze medal and the European Championships Juniors with 4 gold medals and 1 bronze medal. His work with the French National Team won medals at all levels of international competition in 2016: young, juniors, and seniors. The medal count was: Olympic Games in Rio 1 bronze medal 10 km men; European Seniors Championships Open Water 2 gold medals and 2 bronze medals; World Juniors Championships Open Water 1 gold medal, 1 silver medal and 1 bronze medal; European Juniors Championships 2 gold medals and COMEN 2 gold medals, 2 silver medals, 1 bronze medal plus top team.
• He mentored and coached 17 employees of the WYZ Group to complete a 14 km team relay across Quiberon to Belle Ile in western France in 6 hours 15 minutes called the WYZ Swim Challenge.

2017 World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year Nominees

Lecat was nominated for the 2017 World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year by the World Open Water Swimming Association:

1. Evgenij Pop Acev (Macedonia)

2. Antonio Argüelles (Mexico)

3. John Batchelder (USA)

4. Guillermo Bertola (Argentina)

5. Avram Iancu (Romania)

6. Stéphane Lecat (France)

7. Dr. Lucky Meisenheimer (USA)

8. Lynton Mortensen (Australia)

9. Simone Ruffini (Italy)

10. Petar Stoychev (Bulgaria)

11. Sayed Ihsan Taheri (Afghanistan)

12. Ferry Weertman (Netherlands)

13. Philip Yorke (Great Britain)

2017 World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year Nomination

Stéphane Lecat was an outstanding professional marathon swimmer. He is replicating the athletic success he enjoyed in the water on dryland as the Directeur de L’Eau libre for the Fédération Française de Natation. As the French national team open water swimming program director, the 46-year-old is taking French swimming to unprecedented levels. Mirroring the efficiency of his powerful stroke, Lecat very effectively oversees the administration, development and organization of 35+ competitions in France and helping France’s best swimmers dominate the podium positions in international competitions. For laying the foundation for France’s 4 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze medals at the 2017 FINA World Championships, for mentoring the next generation of elite French swimmers and coaches at international junior competitions, for continuing an unparalleled level of excellence as an administrator for the sport, Stéphane Lecat is a worthy nominee for the 2017 World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year.

Swimming Career

• Lecat was the premier professional marathon swimmer in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s.
• He was the FINA World Cup Series champion in 1997, 1999 and 2000.
• He won the 2000 European 25 km (15.5-mile) championship.
• He won the 15 km (9.3-mile) Mediterranean Championship in 1997.
• He won the 34 km (21-mile) Traversée internationale du lac St-Jean professional marathon swim in Canada in 1996, 1999, and 2000.
• He won the Maratón Acuática Internacional Santa Fe – Coronda, a 57 km (35-mile) FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix race held in the Coronda River in Argentina in 1996, 1997, 1999 and 2000.
• He won the 42 km (26-mile) Traversée Internationale du Lac Memphrémagog swim in Canada in 1995, 1996 and 2000.
• He won the 36 km (22.5-mile) Around-the-Island Marathon Swim in Atlantic City, USA in 2001.
• He won 13 FINA World Cup professional races.
• He placed third at the 25 km race in the 2001 FINA World Championships in Japan.
• He won the 2000 European 25 km Championships in Finland.
• He swam the English Channel in 8 hours 19 minutes on 23 August 2003.
• He was a 10-time French national champion.
• He won two Atlantic City Around The Island Swims.
• He won 17 FINA World Cup events.
• He won the 25 km race at the 2000 European Championships in Helsinki.
• He finished second in the 26 km race at the 1997 European Championships in Sevilla, Spain.
• He finished third in the 25 km race at the 1995 European Championships in Vienna, Italy.

Achievements

2001 FINA World Swimming Championships in Fukuoka, Japan: Bronze Medal (25 km)

2000 LEN European Championships: Gold Medal (25 km)

1997 LEN European Championships in Sevilla, Spain: Silver Medal (25 km)

1995 LEN European Championships in Vienna, Italy: Bronze Medal (25 km)

3 times winner of the FINA Marathon Swimming World Cup in 1997, 1998, 2000

10 times French national Champion in 5 km,10 km and 25 km open water swimming

1997 French National Championships: Bronze medal on the 1500m freestyle

He successfully swam across the English Channel on 23 August 2003 in a time of 8 hour 19 minutes

• 39 ans, Professeur de Sport (CTS)
• 9 ans en tant qu’athlète de haut niveau
• 10 titres de champion de France (5/10/25 km)
• 3 coupe du monde FINA
• 3 fois médaillés aux Championnats d’Europe dont 1 titre de Champion d’Europe (2000)
• Médaillé de bronze aux Championnats du monde 2001
• 4 ans avec une mission d’entraînement sur le pôle France de l’INSEP (2 sélectionnés aux J.O d’Athènes et une médaille de bronze sur 50NL…1 sélectionné aux Championnats du Monde de Rome sur 5km (6ème); 1 Champion d’Europe Junior sur 5 KM
• Depuis sept 2006, CTR en Picardie sur une mission de développement

Coaching Career

Lecat was employed by the Ministry of French Sport with responsibility for the development of the swimming in the Picardy Region. He was the head Coach for the Picardy Region Swimming Team and responsible for Swimming Coach Education for new coaches and continuing education for qualified coaches. He coached swimming to Amélie Caze, the 2010 world champion in Modern Pentathlon who qualified for the 2012 London Olympics.