Let us introduce our brand ambassador : Laëtitia Guapo! She is a professional basketball player and she is originated from Clermont-Ferrand, monbento location in France! Exciting news: Laëtitia started 2020 with the title of Women Basketball World Champion! Laetitia also defends our values, going together with her performances: taking care of ourselves, taking care of the environment and being unique!
For this first presentation she answers our questions!
Hello Laëtitia, and welcome to the monbento familly! First of all, can you introduce yourself?
Hello everyone! My name is Laëtitia Guapo, I’m 24 years old and I come from a village near Clermont-Ferrand called La Roche-Blanche. I’m a professional basketball player at Charnay Basket Bourgogne Sud (close to Lyon in France), in the French 3×3 basketball team and at the same time I’m a P.E. teacher – I have currently suspended my contract to concentrate on my career as a professional basketball player -.
Where can we find you when you’re not on a basketball court?
I tend to flee from boredom: I always make sure I have something to do! My favorite activities are cooking (healthy and homemade of course ?), reading, shopping, trying new restaurants and above all practicing sports of all kind!
Now that we know a little more about you, what are your nicknames?
People usually call me Leti or Guapa, but in Charnay-Lès-Mâcon they call me the wasp (guêpe in French, which sounds close to her last name Guapo).
At monbento, we are a team of food lovers! What is your weakness?
All variations of avocado! I’m crazy about it!! Otherwise homemade fruit or vegetable juices!
Do you have a favorite quote?
My motto is “Make your life a dream and make your dreams come true” by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
What’s the best thing that ever happened to you?
Both winning the World University 3×3 Championship in Xiamen (China in 2016) and becoming the European Champions and Vice European 3×3 Champions in Debrecen (Hungary, last summer).
As a champion, do you have a charm that never leaves you?
Sure! A chain that my family gave me for my 18th birthday!
How did you get your passion for basketball?
My mom played basketball, my dad played soccer… I went into basketball! I joined the CREPS of Vichy to combine studies and basketball at the “Young Talents” division. I was training once to twice a day. Then I joined the INSEP (National Sport Institute) in Paris. I went through high school there and graduated with a major in science, this, while having two trainings a day. I signed my first professional contract in Nice where I stayed for 3 years, then played one year in Roanne, one year in Reims and I moved to Bourgogne to join the team in Charnay-Lès-Mâcon. I’m in my second year there.
During summers, I train for international competitions (European or World Championships) with the French 5×5 teams (categories under 15/16/20 years old). Since last summer I am in the French Senior 3×3 team.
The European and World Championships must have taken you to some crazy places! What is the most beautiful spot you played in?
I went to many beautiful cities and countries! But I think the most exotic ones were China and Taiwan!
3×3 basketball is played outdoor, what is the most beautiful spot you played on?
The most beautiful spot was undoubtedly La Rochelle Seaport. It was last July, we played in the sunset.
You’ve also met a lot of people, what’s your greatest encounter?
I don’t have a particular one but I’m grateful for all that basketball brings me on a daily basis and all the great people I have met! Every trip, every moment, every person is unique and I know that I am very lucky to be able to live this life thanks to basketball. I know that I would never have been able to experience that in any other case!
Back to everyday life, what is your daily routine like?
Here is a typical day during a week of training:
I get up quite early every morning! I have a good breakfast which always include a freshly squeezed fruit juice (this is the best and most important moment of my day).
I currently don’t have classes for my degree or teach so I do yoga and then go training.
Then I either have lunch at home or on the spot, between two meetings.
I try to take a bit of quiet time during the afternoon. I spend it reading, working on my Aggregation (to teach in higher education) or watching movies and series. The evening training is the most intense of the day this is why I need to relax and get some rest.
Then I go back to training. I stretch, I see our club physiotherapist if necessary, often have dinner with my teammates or friends, call my friends and family, and then I try to go to bed early.
As a top-level sportswomen, we have to take care of our bodies. It is our working tool, and we use it twice a day, every day, including weekends!
If you didn’t have basketball, what other sport would you like to practice?
I would be an athlete for sure! I love running! Especially 800m, 3km, 5 km, 10 km. I think that when I’ll be done with my career as a basketball player, I’ll run half-marathons, marathons, and why not triathlons?
We are happy to welcome you in the monbento family! What made you want to join the adventure?
I am very happy to join the monbento family! I’ve known the brand for a very long time! I have heard a lot about the quality and functionality of the products.
I have real connections with monbento because of being both from Clermont-Ferrand (of course!) but also because we have a strong common interest for promoting nutritive, homemade, beautiful, tasty and healthy cooking. As I said before, my body is my work tool and I pay special attention to what I eat. Furthermore, we share the same values! Combining functionality, quality and innovation while taking care of the planet (less waste, going for reusable products, choice of materials, etc) are essential!
Moreover, my lifestyle and habits very often take me to eating on the go: either between two trips, two training sessions, two appointments, etc. And “club sandwiches” are not my cup of tea!
See you soon, with monbento on a 5×5 basketball court or on a 3×3 spot all over France or somewhere else around the world!
And yes, Laetitia will regularly meet us here to share her daily life and her adventures with the French 3×3 basketball team! Within the monbento team, we’re already looking forward to reading her articles!