Antoine Scortatore is a young soldier in the Air and Space Force.
Next Sunday, he hopes to beat his record in the Paris marathon.
Three years ago, he was diagnosed with stage 2 cancer of the immune system. A disease he overcame thanks to his passion for running and which makes him even stronger today.
His dream is to compete in the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii in 2023.
This Friday is a day of "great victory" for Antoine Scortatore.
Nearly three years after being affected by cancer of the immune system, the young 26-year-old soldier from the Air and Space Force will regain "his ability to serve"!
In a few weeks, he will finally be able to distribute on the ground like any soldier from the air base 204 of Mérignac Beauséjour in Gironde.
But until then, this running fanatic is aiming for another big victory: breaking his marathon record in Paris on April 3.
That is to say, go below the 2h35 mark!
For those who do not realize the performance, we are on average 16.5 km / h over the 42.195 km.
Semi-professional performance.
And above all an extraordinary performance in view of the terrible ordeal experienced by Antoine Scortatore between 2018 and 2019. He then prepared the La Rochelle marathon with the objective of going under 3 hours, he who had completed his everything two years earlier. first marathon in 4h24 in Bordeaux: “I was coming back from an operation in Africa [September 2018] and I had a big lump in my right collarbone, he recalls.
I did not know what it was but I was 23 years old, I was in great shape so we say to ourselves at the time that it is nothing.
“Unfortunately, the doctors, themselves, are quickly worried.
Records and a marathon in full treatment
He was told that he had “a mass of 5 centimeters in the mediastinum between the two lungs and that it is surely lymphoma”.
Two weeks later, three days before the La Rochelle marathon, confirmation came in: it was a cancer of the immune system (stage 2 lymphoma).
The blow is very hard but Antoine Scortatore takes the start of the race all the same even if some doctors advise against it.
Results ?
2:59.
“I was super happy and there I said to myself, I am ready to fight.
Mentally, it follows and I'm going to coal with chemo", recalls the one who was also already running at the time of the Ironman (a long-distance triathlon consisting of 3.8 km of swimming, 180.2 km of cycling then a marathon).
On December 23, 2018, he began his treatment.
The first week is "horrible" because of the chemo but also because he can no longer play sports.
"I told myself that six months was going to be very long" but he quickly finds a smile:
After a week, I finally resort and it was fine!
So, I started training once or twice a day [once on chemo days].
I even got back to competition quite quickly and for me it was great.
I felt like I was living normally and not being sick.
It was very important.
»
Better still, after a month and a half, he did a scan and “there is nothing left, it was the jackpot”.
“I said to myself: ''I'm going to survive and I'm going to be able to continue playing sports.'' I still had to continue the treatment until the end.
During this period, at the beginning of 2019, Antoine Scortatore broke his records over 5 and 10 km then participated in the Albi marathon.
Since then, he has been doing marathons and Ironmans like nothing.
The Ironman of Hawaii in the viewfinder
Today, the one who had no side effects during the treatment of his cancer is convinced: sport has something to do with it.
“Some doctors tell me that yes there is a relationship between the two, others no.
What I can say is that practicing your passion or doing something you like in those moments helps a lot.
Psychologically of course, but I'm also sure that there is a physical relationship, ”explains the Girondin.
Supported since the beginning of his illness by the army, he now has many dreams in mind.
Beating his marathon record in Paris in a few days but above all competing in the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii in October 2023. The Grail for an athlete like him.
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For that, he has a strength that others do not.
“Before falling ill, I thought of my grandmother who died after three cancers, I was fighting for her.
Now I think back to that terrible week in December 2018 but also to every chemo appointment because it was hard and I wouldn't wish it on anyone.
I have a mental tenfold today when I have to overtake a competitor or achieve a performance.
»
He continues: "At the beginning, I said to myself: ''Fuck it, I'm going to be lousy all my life'' and in fact, you realize that it adds incredible strength to you and that after you can lift mountains.
It is not because one is sick that life stops there.
"And before leaving for training, he has a last message for everyone:" It is not because the road is bad that we are on the bad road!
»
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