A day in the life of Enzo Lefort

We’re in Paris’ 20ème arrondissement, it’s one of autumn’s first chilly mornings, and Enzo Lefort opens his front door to greet us with a smile, followed closely by his cat YOLO (which we assume stands for You Only Live Once, which is ironic, for a cat). As we sit for a cup of jasmine tea in his lounge replete with art books and mood boards, the 27-year-old fencing world champion tells us about his day-to-day life as a foil phenom: from training, to mango butter, and surprisingly, community management.

Hi Enzo, can you introduce yourself to our readers?

I’m Enzo Lefort, and I’m 27. I’m a top athlete and member of the French national fencing team. I’m also a qualified physiotherapist.

How did you get into fencing?

I started in 1996, when I was 5 years old. Laura Flessel had just won the Olympic gold in women’s fencing, at Atlanta, and she’s from Guadeloupe, like me. Back then, I played tennis, but I told my parents I’d rather play around with a foil, like her! I was scouted at the age of 16, and I joined the Châtenay-Malabry youth academy, followed by the INSEP (French National Institute of Sport, Expertise, and Performance) in 2010.

What drew you to foil fencing?

It’s the first weapon you start out with, and points are only scored by contact with the tip. It’s a weapon that suits me well because the focus is on offense; it’s the most engaging form of fencing. I’m more of an active fighter than a tactical one, so this style suits me well!

Your current record is impressive.

Thank you! I’ve won the men’s team foil world cup once, and I’m a three-time European champion. I’m also team foil vice-Olympic champion. I like competing as part of a team, because of the team spirit obviously, but also because of the relay matches, which means you get to fence against everyone.

How often do you train?

I train twice a day, every day, with two or three half-days off each week. I don’t only work on my fencing technique, there’s also physical preparation, cardio or football for example, and some strength training. I fence two to three times a week, mostly going through the basics. In general, I’ll train from 9:00 to 10:30, or from 10:00 to 12:00, and then once more from 16:00 to 19:00. I sometimes leave the INSEP training centre at 20:00, if I had a physiotherapy or balneotherapy session to finish off the day!

So at what time does that mean you have to get up?

I wake up at 8:30-ish. I have breakfast - which used to be homemade smoothies and eggs and has since become something easier to prepare, freshly squeezed fruit juices and raisins, for example. If I’m competing, I have to get up at 5:30 or 6:00 to warm up for 2 hours before starting at 8:30!

I assume the life of an elite athlete entails spending a lot of time under the shower!

Most definitely! I shower three times a day. However, I’ll only use all my grooming products for my morning shower. My fencing friends think I’m super strange when I show up with all my products, but I like it. I’ll use my face scrub, my cannabis shower gel, which I really like by the way. I’ll wash my hair every two or three days because of the fencing mask! We only get one mask per season, and by the end of it you’re left with some pretty strong odours! (laughs) I like natural products a lot, such as mango butter, and coconut oil, which I’ve used for a while. I think the Horace deodorant is really cool - I used to end up with a lot of deodorant stains on my clothes, but not anymore. Other than that, I must admit I’m a big fan of moisturisers.

Really?

Yes, I moisturise my body to avoid dry skin, obviously, and I also like Horace’s mattifying face moisturiser as it’s quickly absorbed, and doesn’t leave me with a shiny face - and that’s perfect!

What’s your haircare routine like?

I’ll go get a fade once a month at the ‘La Shaperie’ salon. Before I used to go to this hairdresser’s in Strasbourg Saint-Denis, and the guy would always make me wait, until after the Olympic Games when he recognised me and I never had to wait again! What I like with ‘La Shaperie’ is that you have to make appointments, and it’s a special moment, I’m treating myself. I get to relax.

Are you into fashion?

Very much so. My girlfriend is a stylist, and our love for fashion is something we share. I come from streetwear, so I’m more of a baggy jeans and XXL T-shirts guy than a skinny jeans and Schmoove shoes one! (laughs) These days I wear a lot of Vans sneakers, and clothing from my friend’s brand, Coltesse, as well as Ami and Y-3. I like well-cut garments, and coats in particular.

You’re a qualified physiotherapist, are you already preparing for your life after fencing?

Fencing is an amateur sport with little to no sponsor appeal, and most careers stop at the age of 34 or 35. Therefore, the idea is to be as versatile as possible, in a way. I do some community management too. I started on Facebook before the London Olympic Games because it’s important to know how to manage your brand. These days I help my girlfriend manage the account for her hip-hop yoga class called Humble Warriors, and I also manage all social media accounts for Sport Étude, David Bellion’s magazine. I find brand management very interesting.

And how do you balance your two jobs?

I prepare social media posts at lunchtime. It helps me to focus on something else, which is particularly helpful when you feel stuck on a failure. Fencing is as much a mental battle as a physical one, so you sometimes have to give yourself time to digest certain situations.

How restrictive is life as a top athlete?

When I was younger I’d party a lot and survive off two Domino’s pizzas a week, so not that restrictive. After the Olympic Games I went through a bit of a dry spell, so I tried switching to a more ascetic lifestyle, and paradoxically it didn’t improve how I performed. I think it’s a matter of taste and balance. I’m not super strict, and in life and fencing, I enjoy being fun. That being said, I make sure to get the right amount of sleep, I’m careful with my diet, and I’m more selective when it comes to going out. No alcohol during the week, and when I do go out it’s only a few drinks, never more. Turns out fencing is a sport of growth!

Speaking of, when do you think you’ll retire?

My goal is to make to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. I have a good life, and I’ll keep going until my body tells me to stop.