Katia Benth

Katia Benth (born 16 November 1975) is a French retired sprinter. Born in French Guiana, she started athletics at the age of 12. She later competed in and for France, becoming the French university-level national champion in the women's 100 and 200 metres on multiple occasions. During her career, she has won medals for France at the World Championships and European Championships. Representing French Guiana, she won two gold medals at the 1999 Central American and Caribbean Championships in Athletics. In her later life, she became a marine for the French army and a coach.

Biography Katia Benth was born on 16 February 1975 in Cayenne, French Guiana. She was the youngest in a family of four siblings. Her athletics talent was discovered by her uncle and thus she started the sport at the age of twelve.

She started her senior level athletics career in 1996. During that time, she became the French university-level national champion and French junior champion in both the women's 100 and 200 metres. She then started her international career the following year competing for France but first became the French university-level national champion and French indoor champion in the women's 100 and 200 metres. At the 1997 European Athletics U23 Championships, she won the bronze medal in the women's 200 metres with a time of 23.19 seconds. She then competed in the women's 200 metres at the 1997 World Championships in Athletics held in August, reaching the quarterfinals. A few weeks later, she won a silver medal in the 200 metres and bronze in the 100 metres at the 1997 Summer Universiade. Later in her career, she became a coach for athletes such as Olympian Gémima Joseph.