Amandine Suzanne Monique Leynaud secured a silver medal representing France at the 2016 Olympic Games, marking a career peak in a tenure that included four separate Olympic appearances. Born in 1986 in Aubenas, she established herself as a consistent presence in goal for both domestic clubs and the French national squad over two decades of professional play.
Professional Development and Early Success
Leynaud demonstrated dominance in the French Division 1, earning the title of Best Goalkeeper for three consecutive years between 2009 and 2011. Her early career saw a sweep of domestic honors, including seven consecutive French League Cup victories from 2005 through 2011, alongside multiple French Championship titles. During the 2008 Olympics, her performance solidified her role as the starting goalkeeper for the French national team following the retirement of Valérie Nicolas.
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The goalkeeper’s career included significant tenures with international clubs. She signed with CS Oltchim Râmnicu Vâlcea for the 2012–13 season, though a severe ankle ligament injury necessitated surgery and prevented her from participating in official matches before the club dissolved. Between 2013 and 2018, she played for ŽRK Vardar, participating in the EHF Champions League Final Four five consecutive times. In 2018, she moved to the Hungarian side Győr, where she secured additional championship and cup victories.
Coaching and Retirement
Leynaud transitioned into coaching, serving as the goalkeeping coach for Győr starting in 2020. Although she officially retired from competitive play in 2022, she returned to the active roster at Győr one year later to cover for teammate Silje Solberg during her pregnancy. She currently holds the position of goalkeeping coach for the French national handball team.
Fast facts
- Born: 1986, Aubenas, France
- Position: Goalkeeper
- 2016 Olympic Medal: Silver
- Individual Awards: MVP of the EHF Champions League Final Four 2018
- National Orders: Knight of the National Order of Merit (2016); Knight of the Legion of Honour (2021)
- Professional coaching: French national team goalkeeper coach
Questions readers ask
What major honours did Leynaud achieve in club competitions?
She won the EHF Champions League in 2019, along with numerous domestic league and cup titles in France and Hungary.
Did Leynaud coach while still active as a player?
Yes, she served as a goalkeeper coach for Győr between 2020 and 2022 while remaining part of the organization.
Achievements
- Knight of the National Order of Merit
- Competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics
- Competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics
- Competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics
- Competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics
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