At the young age of 23, Théo Curin, a quadruple amputee from Moselle, is a man of both speed and challenges. With an infectious smile and a desire to share his experiences, he now has his own wax statue. Yves Delhommeau, the general manager of the Grévin Museum, and Romain Ambro, a member of the Grévin Academy, could very well have said when welcoming athlete Théo Curin on March 7, 2024: « Enter here, Théo Curin! » Following in the footsteps of other great athletes such as Camille Lacourt, Antoine Griezmann, Tony Parker, Teddy Riner, Clarisse Agbegnenou, and the 2023 skateboarding world champion Aurélien Giraud, he is the first para-athlete to make his entrance into the renowned institution of wax figures.
The multi-medaled para-swimmer is not only a boy ready for all challenges but also a man of many talents, serving as a lecturer, actor, model, host on France 3, and presenter of his own show « T’es au TOP » on France 4. Always smiling, even in the toughest moments, he played along without hesitation: « Théo participated in various creation sessions in Grévin’s workshops with great fun, curiosity, and camaraderie between the teams. Photos, videos, 3D image captures, measurements, molding, makeup, hair… six months were necessary to create this new character, » the institution explained in a statement.
Moved, he discovered his wax double – sculpted by Stéphane Barret – clad in a swimsuit, surrounded by his family and friends. « It is an immense pride to have crossed the doors of the Grévin Museum. Sharing this moment with those who matter most to me makes this experience even more special. »
Born in 2000 in Lunéville, Meurthe-et-Moselle, at the age of 6, he contracted meningococcal meningitis type C, resulting in the amputation of all four limbs. His encounter with Philippe Croizon, also a quadruple amputee and record-breaking athlete – he had just successfully crossed the English Channel swimming – led him to the pool even though he was initially fearful of water. His progress was rapid.
At 13, he joined the French Para-Swimming National Training Center in Vichy. He quickly became one of France’s great hopes in para-swimming. In 2015, at the World Championships in Glasgow, he secured his first international podium. In 2016, at the Paralympic Games in Rio, the youngest member of the French team (16 years old) finished fourth in the 200m freestyle.
In 2018, he joined the athlete commission, chaired by Martin Fourcade, which worked on preparing for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris. Never satisfied with challenges, he participated in his first triathlon with a specially adapted bike and finished the Ironman des Sables-d’Olonne in 6 hours 53 minutes and 15 seconds. Nothing seems to stop this boy, except perhaps Covid.
After the one-year postponement of the Tokyo Paralympic Games and changes in disability classification in his category, he put an end to his Paralympic quest to embark on an adventure like no other: swimming across Lake Titicaca in the heart of the Andes mountain range. A feat of 122 km swimming relay with two other athletes, from Bolivia to Peru, in water at ten degrees, at an altitude of 3,800 meters. A challenge that lasted eleven days: « I am not a hero. I am even someone privileged because there are many people who have dreams and goals and who, unfortunately, cannot fulfill them because they lack money, are not surrounded. I was lucky to have people around me, sponsors, » he explained after his feat.
Yet it seems that this array of high-level sportsmanship is not enough for him. Since 2017, Théo Curin has played the role of Théo in the television series « Vestiaires, » broadcast on France 2. In 2019, he became the face of a cosmetics brand, and in the same year, he was also a columnist on « Le Magazine de la santé. »
During the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, he became a consultant for Eurosport during open water swimming events. As a columnist on Virgin Radio, he multiplies experiences and, in 2022, participated as a contestant in « Pékin Express » on M6, in a special celebrity season titled « Duos de choc. » He also participated in « Fort Boyard » on France 2. Nothing seems to deter this 23-year-old who embraces life, multiplies experiences, and shares all his passions, especially with the younger generation.
