By Daniel Grisham
He takes short, trotting steps, lifting his knees high as he moves. Those steps quickly turn into long strides. The whole time, he keeps his right hand over his head tightly gripping the javelin. With one final step he plants his left foot and leans back before twisting his body forward and slinging the javelin into the air. He wears the Mississippi State name across a black, sleeveless jersey.
This is what Rémi Rougetet has done at Mississippi State for the past three years. This is what he enjoys doing. And this year, the senior from France had a special opportunity involving his family.
In January, Rougetet's sister Marie left Dijon, France, on a plane bound for the United States. Marie is at Mississippi State now, too. She's on an athletic scholarship, throwing the hammer for the track and field team.
Less than a year ago, Marie was participating in events back in her home country of France. She finished 3rd at the French U18 Winter Throwing Championships in 2023. Her best shot with the 4kg hammer was 64.92 meters in May 2024. Now, she finds herself donning the Bulldogs' jersey for the first time.
The two siblings were raised outside Dijon, France, a town 200 miles southeast of Paris with a population of 156,000 in the city limits alone. They come from an athletic family. Both parents threw hammer, and their older sister, Lucie, was a swimmer. All three siblings played many sports, but by the time they were in high school, they had solidified what sports they wanted to pursue.
“I started playing soccer when I was five over there and then I played for like 11 years, so like starting around 16.” Rémi Rougetet said. “My team wasn’t good enough for what I was expecting to play with, and then I just tried to do a little bit of track. I went into the main team in Dijon, called the DUC, and then I started practicing over there.”
For Marie, it was not much different, but she ultimately chose to follow in both her parents’ footsteps.
“I did a lot of sports before hammer,” Marie Rougetet said. “I did swim for a long time, and then I did track. At first I was doing the high jump, but I got to hammer because of my mom and dad, but also because I was better at hammer.”
So how did the siblings go from competing in their home country of France, to leaving Dijon to live in Starkville and compete at Mississippi State? In high school, Remi spent time in California with a school which did an exchange of students for a two-week program. After spending time there, he knew he wanted to try to compete in the United States, and Mississippi State was a school he felt he could improve immediately.
“So at the time, I was reaching to some schools. Mississippi State was one of the best by far, in the terms of Javelin throw,” Rougetet said. “We had Tyriq (Horsford) we had Frank (Di Sanza). They were both throwing over 75 and 78 so that was the best team in the U.S. concerning javelin throw, so I say, 'OK, I’m just going to go over there.’ My goal is to throw far, so that’s going to be the best team by far to train with.”
Both Rémi and Marie can be found training in the afternoon near the track on Mississippi State’s campus. Shira Hall is the main workout hub for athletes. Walking into the center of Shira there is a walkway overlooking the two main areas of the facility. The first is the weight room with a wall of windows looking out onto the track. The other is the indoor turf field of green grass with white painted lines and numbers like a football field.
On any given weekday afternoon, you can find numerous track and field athletes training. Two girls work on different methods of jumping ropes in the corner, crisscrossing their arms twisting the rope around them, hopping on one foot and alternating to the other. Rémi and another track and field teammate stand face to face working on their reflexes as Rémi drops tennis balls out of his hands and the other tries to catch them. Marie practices lifting the hammer and spinning her body around, hurling the hammer into a netted wall.
For the Rougetet siblings, sports have always been a part of their schedule. With their mom being a sports teacher in Dijon, they were familiar with the culture of sports and took any opportunities to play anything they could. Rémi played a variety of sports, such as soccer, tennis, table tennis and cross country, but ultimately committed to throwing javelin. Marie swam, did gymnastics, and in high school pursued the hammer event in track and field.
There was a natural level of competitiveness that comes from this athletic family, but more than anything else there has been constant support.
“We’re just trying to do the best, trying many sports to discover many things, and trying to be the best at it,” Rémi Rougetet said. “So, there was a little competition between us…We’re hyping and trying to help each other more than compete against each other.”
This next season offers new challenges for both Rémi and Marie. Rémi is competing in his final season at Mississippi State and has one goal in mind: to win the NCAA championship in Eugene, Oregon. He has seen improvement every year since his first season at MSU. His first year of competition he placed 9th at NCAA Championship Qualifiers, then placed 6th the following year. In 2024 he was selected as a First Team Outdoor All American. He hopes to keep improving at this rate to finish the top three, but ultimately the goal is to win it all.
For Marie, other than two college visits January was her first time to live in the United States. She has the chance to play at the college level and is accepting the challenge with confidence.
According to Marie, the hammer event was not a sport many gave attention to, so she had to work with the time and opportunity she was given. Now, at Mississippi State, she appreciates the facilities she has to work on her event.
“Here, we can go to the training and train a lot. I have more training here than France. That’s cool because I really can focus on hammer,” Marie Rougetet said.
For Marie to only be here for less than three months, she may seem more timid or quiet as she learns to adapt to college in the United States, but don’t let her fool you. Tafada Wright is a track and field athlete from Jamaica who throws with Marie. She thought Marie was quiet at first also but immediately saw the impact she had on their team.
“When Marie officially came… I thought she was quiet and reserved, but when she came in January it was like having a second roommate,” Wright said. “She is outgoing and playful; she’s always laughing and willing to try something new. She is so joyful. You can’t be around her and not have a smile on your face.”
Wright said Marie’s experience will help the team’s motivation. And that her attitude will lift spirits.
“That’s good to have in this space and this environment. Because even in practice it can get frustrating even when her throws aren’t going as she wants it to go. All it takes is a word from her and we’re laughing," Wright said. "She is so playful and joyful and fun to be around.”
According to Wright, for the three years she has been here, she says this year there is a higher level of support from the track and field team as a whole, something she described as more “family oriented.” For the Rougetet siblings, this helps them fit right in. They have always been supportive of one another towards their respected events and goals.
“I’m kind of proud when she’s doing something good, and kind of sad when she’s doing something bad, you know?” Rémi Rougetet said. “When you’re seeing someone you like doing something some stuff, you’re just hyping her, supporting her. And when she is not doing well, you’re just sad for her. But that’s kind of a good thing, to be the older brother and seeing her competing.”
As the season progresses during the spring semester one thing is for sure; the Rougetet siblings want to win and will encourage each other to get better. Because of their different events, they will have more opportunities to watch and support each other at the competitions for the season.
Getting to play a collegiate sport is a great accomplishment, but getting the opportunity to practice and participate alongside your sibling at the collegiate level is something few people can say they get to do. For the Rougetet siblings, this is an experience they get to live out.