Princess Charlene reflects on her swimming career and lifelong love of sport
Princess Charlene of Monaco has reflected on the sacrifices and challenges of her former swimming career while reaffirming her lifelong passion for sport and rugby.
Princess Charlene of Monaco has spoken about the sacrifices and challenges of her career as a professional swimmer, as well as her enduring passion for rugby in a recent interview.
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Before becoming Princess of Monaco, Charlene Wittstock competed at an elite level in swimming.
Speaking candidly about those years, she recalled the intense discipline required to pursue her dream.
A demanding routine from a young age
Charlene explained that her ambition to compete at the Olympics began when she was just 11 years old.
Achieving that goal required enormous dedication not only from her, but also from her family.
Her training schedule was equally demanding. “We would get up at 4am. By 5am I was already in the water,” she said, describing mornings spent swimming before school followed by afternoon strength training and more hours in the pool.
Despite the pressure, she says representing her country remained one of the proudest moments of her career.
“Hearing my name announced at the Olympic Games was an incredible feeling. It felt like my dream was becoming reality.”
A career marked by disappointment
Her sporting journey also included setbacks.
After years of preparation, Charlene failed to qualify for the 2004 Athens Olympics, a disappointment that led her to end her career soon after.
“Four years of work disappeared just when it should have been the peak of my career,” she recalled.
Rugby, a lifelong passion
Alongside swimming, Princess Charlene also developed a deep love of rugby, a sport closely linked to her childhood in southern Africa.
She remembers spending Saturday afternoons watching matches with her father, who played the sport himself.
After games, the children would often run onto the field to play together.
Today, she continues to promote sport through her commitments in Monaco.
She is president of the Monaco Rugby Federation and regularly supports initiatives that highlight the values of teamwork, discipline and solidarity in sport.