1. Early Life and Introduction to Skating
Benjamin Macé's journey into the world of skating began at a very young age with roller skating, which eventually led him to the ice.
1.1. Childhood and Roller Skating
Macé's fascination with speed skating started by chance when he was six years old. While on a roller-skate outing with his brother and father at the Gujan-Mestras Club, the three of them were amazed by the sight of "in-line skates." This initial encounter sparked his interest, and he subsequently joined the Roller Skating Dijon Bourgogne Club.
1.2. Transition to Ice Skating
His involvement with roller skating eventually acquainted him with the ice short track rink. This happened because short track speed skaters would often join the roller skaters during their summer training sessions. The simple enjoyment derived from ice hockey games, organized by the short trackers on Wednesday nights, fostered a positive rapport with the newfound team. This positive experience heavily influenced Macé's decision to join ice training sessions. The immediate rush of adrenaline he experienced in speed skating quickly surpassed the thrills of roller skating.
2. Short Track Speed Skating Career
Benjamin Macé's early career was primarily focused on short track speed skating, where he diligently pursued his ambition of competing at the Olympic Games.
2.1. Pursuit of Olympic Dream
In 2006, an epiphany occurred for Macé: his Olympic dream ignited after watching the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics on television. This event deeply motivated him and established a clear objective: to participate in the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. He described the period leading up to these Games as the toughest in his short track career, largely due to balancing his intensive Olympic training with a job at a local food chain, McDonald's. Despite these challenges, he eventually secured a spot in the Vancouver Winter Games.
2.2. 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics
Benjamin Macé proudly represented France as a short track speed skater at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.
3. Transition to Long Track Speed Skating
Macé's short track career did not last very long, and he later made a significant switch to long track speed skating due to a pivotal incident that occurred in 2012. This incident highlighted the inherent risks and unpredictability of short track racing. During a race in 2012, when the Korean team was nearing victory, an accident happened during the passing of an opponent. This event profoundly reminded Macé of how a random mistake in short track could jeopardize four years of dedicated training. He also came to the realization that his physical "build" was inherently more suited for long track speed skating. This shift in perspective and the incident itself were discussed in an interview with OLS roller-skating magazine on March 20, 2012.
4. Long Track Speed Skating Achievements and Other Activities
After transitioning to long track speed skating, Benjamin Macé achieved notable results in the discipline and also engaged in public activities outside of his athletic career.
4.1. Major Long Track Achievements
As of 2013, Benjamin Macé's best performances in the Speed Skating World Cup included a fifth-place finish in the Team Pursuit event, achieved in 2013 in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. He also secured a 13th-place finish in the 1500 meters race in Salt Lake City during the same year.
4.2. Media Appearances
Beyond his athletic pursuits, Benjamin Macé has also made appearances in popular media. In October 2017, he participated in Secret Story 11, a reality television program in France, entering the house on Day 42 of the season.