André Labat

André Labat, the son of a baker, had a sensational début in 1906 winning four events (high jump, standing high jump, long jump, standing long jump) at a meeting in Bordeau, but his studies prevented him from pursuing an athletic career at that point in time. Instead, he entered the telecommunication branch of the French postal service (PTT) in Paris. There, he joined the Métropolitain Club Colombes winning the high jump and long jump at the 1910 Paris championship. Later that year, he jumped 1.835 metres in Bordeaux.

A candidate civil servant, he did his military service in the 34th infantry regiment. In 1911, he won his first French championship, tying with Géo André. He repeated his victory in 1912 and 1913, in the latter year in a dead heat with his brother René, both clearing 1.75 metres. At the 1912 Olympics, he failed to clear the 1.83 m required to qualify for the final.

Transferred to Laval in 1913, Labat joined the local club Stade Laval. His 1.91 meters, however, achieved in 1914 were not acknowledged as a French record. Occasionally, he also wrote articles for the Ouest-Éclair, a local newspaper at Rennes. After serving in World War I at the Orient Front near Thessaloniki, Labat placed second in the high jump at the 1919 Inter-Allied Games. At the subsequent French Championships, he placed second behind Géo André but refused to take part in the Antwerpen Olympics. He was also a member of the rugby team of Stade Laval.

Labat was married to Jeanne Jacquot, the daughter of a wood and coal merchant in Laval. He became head of PTT’s measuring department in Laval and was transferred to Rouen in 1933. He held his last posts in Brive and Agen, where he eventually died.

Personal Best: HJ – 1.85 (1911).