Damien Godet

{{Short description|French BMX rider (born 1986)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}}

{{Infobox cyclist

| name = Damien Godet

| image = BMX rider Damien Godet from France.jpg

| caption = Godet in 2007

| fullname =

| nickname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1986|11|10|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Sartrouville, France

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height = 1.81 m

| weight = 75 kg

| currentteam = Bicross Club de Dardilly

| discipline = Bicycle motocross (BMX)

| role = Rider

| ridertype = Off road

| proyears1 =

| proteam1 =

| majorwins =

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalSport | Men's BMX racing}}

{{MedalCountry | {{FRA}} }}

{{MedalCompetition|UCI World Championships}}

{{MedalBronze |2006 São Paulo | Cruiser }}

| show-medals = yes

}}

Damien Godet (born 10 November 1986 in Sartrouville, Yvelines) is a French professional BMX cyclist.{{cite sports-reference |title=Damien Godet |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/go/damien-godet-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417194750/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/go/damien-godet-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 April 2020 |access-date=20 October 2013}} He won a bronze medal in men's cruiser at the 2006 UCI World Championships in São Paulo, Brazil, and later represented his nation France at the 2008 Summer Olympics. During his sporting career, Godet has trained professionally for Bicross Club de Dardilly in Dardilly under his personal coach Fabrice Vettoretti.{{cite news |title=L'élite française du BMX sera au complexe Henri-Terré |trans-title=The French elite BMX team will be at Henri-Terré complex |language=French |url=http://www.lest-eclair.fr/article/tout-le-sport/lelite-francaise-du-bmx-sera-au-complexe-henri-terre |publisher=L'Est-Éclair |date=23 May 2009 |accessdate=20 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021055543/http://www.lest-eclair.fr/article/tout-le-sport/lelite-francaise-du-bmx-sera-au-complexe-henri-terre |archive-date=21 October 2013 |url-status=dead}}

Godet sought headlines on the international scene, as a 20-year-old elite rider, when he first took home the bronze medal in men's cruiser at the 2006 UCI BMX World Championships in São Paulo, Brazil, finishing behind the American tandem Donny Robinson and Daniel Caluag, who later represented his parents' homeland Philippines at the 2012 Summer Olympics.{{cite news |title=U.S. Captures three world titles at BMX world Championships |url=http://velonews.competitor.com/2006/07/news/mountain/u-s-captures-three-world-titles-at-bmx-world-championships_10617 |publisher=Canada.com |date=30 July 2006 |accessdate=20 October 2013}}{{cite news |title=U.S. claims three world titles at BMX worlds |url=http://www.usacycling.org/news/user/story.php?id=2436 |publisher=USA Cycling |date=29 July 2006 |accessdate=20 October 2013}}

At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Godet qualified for the French squad, along with his teammate Thomas Allier, in men's BMX cycling at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing by finishing fifth from the UCI World Championships in Taiyuan, China and by receiving one of the nation's two available berths from the Union Cycliste Internationale based on his top-ten performance in the BMX World Rankings.{{cite news |title=J'y crois à fond ! |trans-title=I believe all the way! |language=French |url=http://jo.sport24.com/pekin-2008/article/-j-y-crois-a-fond--204599 |publisher=Sport24.fr |date=30 July 2008 |accessdate=20 October 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120815141335/http://jo.sport24.com/pekin-2008/article/-j-y-crois-a-fond--204599 |archivedate=15 August 2012}} Although he was not considered a top medal favorite, Godet surprisingly grabbed the third seed on the morning session in 36.008, and then continued to mount top-four finishes in his quarterfinal and semifinal heats.{{cite web |title=Men's BMX Seeding |url=http://www.2008.nbcolympics.com/cycling/resultsandschedules/rsc=CBM001900/index.html |work=Beijing 2008 |publisher=NBC Olympics |accessdate=21 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120819212702/http://www.2008.nbcolympics.com/cycling/resultsandschedules/rsc=CBM001900/index.html |archive-date=19 August 2012 |url-status=dead}} When the final round had occurred two days later, Godet, along with South Africa's Sifiso Nhlapo, was crashed out into the track curve with a vigorous fall, and consequently failed to complete the race.{{cite web |title=Men's BMX Final |url=http://www.2008.nbcolympics.com/cycling/resultsandschedules/rsc=CBM001100/index.html |work=Beijing 2008 |publisher=NBC Olympics |accessdate=21 December 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120819212656/http://www.2008.nbcolympics.com/cycling/resultsandschedules/rsc%3DCBM001100/index.html |archivedate=19 August 2012}}{{cite news |title=Doublé français en BMX: bravo les filles! |trans-title=Double for the French in BMX: Good job, ladies! |language=French |url=http://www.leparisien.fr/jeux-olympiques-pekin-2008/jo-double-francais-en-bmx-bravo-les-filles-22-08-2008-162502.php |publisher=Le Parisien |date=22 August 2008 |accessdate=20 October 2013}}{{cite news |title=Nhlapo: I'm gutted |url=http://www.news24.com/xArchive/Sport/Olympics2008/Nhlapo-Im-gutted-20080822 |publisher=News24 |date=22 August 2008 |accessdate=20 October 2013}}