Diran Manoukian

Diran Manoukian took up hockey (field) as a schoolboy and joined Stade français in 1937, where he would remain until 1962. During that time, he won nine national titles and two French Cups, and was chosen to represent France at 70 international tournaments. His first selection for the Olympics was the 1940 Tokyo Games, which were ultimately cancelled, but he did make three actual appearances in 1948, 1952, and 1960. Although he never won an Olympic medal, with his best finish being a quarter-final elimination at the hands of Pakistan in 1952, he did capture bronze with the French team at the 1955 Mediterranean Games.

Following his retirement from hockey, he had a second sporting career as an auto racer, racing at two Monte Carlo Rallies. During World War II Manoukian fought at the Somme and at Normandy, but continued to play hockey during the War and remembered playing in a final in Lille with bombing in the background. In 1967, he received a gold medal from Stade français given to him by Jean Borotra.