Charles Coste: France’s enduring image of Olympism
Coste had brought joy and jubilation back to a war-torn France following the Second World War, winning the men’s team pursuit in track cycling at the Olympic Games London 1948 alongside Serge Blusson, Fernand Decanali and Pierre Adam.
“We still had food ration tickets,” he explained to Reuters in February 2024. “There was no TV then, our only goal was to get the gold medal. We were a good team of comrades and we were representing a country that was just out of five years of occupation.”
Forgoing another chance at Olympic glory, Coste turned professional shortly after London 1948. His professional career would last another decade, with a fourth-place finish at Paris-Roubaix among his highlights.
Decades passed as the Olympic champion watched a multitude of French Olympians follow in his footsteps.
Coste re-entered the public eye in April 2022, when he was awarded the Legion d’Honneur by the French government — the highest honor given to French civilians and military officials.
It recognized his achievement at the Olympic Games London 1948, and distinguished him as an exceptional athlete.
Now, at age 100, the oldest living French Olympic champion can boast he was the penultimate torchbearer during the Olympic Games Paris 2024.