Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib (Arabic: علي بن أﺑﻲ طالب, Transliteration: ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, [ʕaliː ibn ʔæbiː t̪ˤɑːlib]; 13^thRajab, 24 BH–21^stRamaḍān, 40 AH; approximately October 23, 598 or 600 or March 17, 599 – January 27, 661). The son of Abu Talib, Ali was also the cousin and son-in-law of Islamic prophet Muhammad, ruling over the Islamic Caliphate from 656 to 661, and was the first male convert to Islam.Sunnis consider Ali the fourth and final of the Rashidun (rightly guided Caliphs), while Shias regard Ali as the first Imam and consider him and his descendants the rightful successors to Muhammad, all of which are members of the Ahl al-Bayt, the household of Muhammad. This disagreement split the Ummah (Muslim community) into the Sunni and Shia branches.

Muslim sources, especially Shia ones, state that since Muhammad's time, Ali was the only person born in the Kaaba sanctuary in Mecca, the holiest place in Islam. His father was Abu Talib and his mother was Fatima bint Asad, but he was raised in the household of Muhammad, who himself was raised by Abu Talib, Muhammad's uncle, and Ali's father. When Muhammad reported receiving a divine revelation, Ali was the first male to accept his message, dedicating his life to the cause of Islam.

Ali Benarbia (Arabic: علي بن عربية‎; born October 8, 1968 in Oran, Algeria) is a retired Algerian footballer.

Ali Benarbia was born in Oran, with his family originating from Sidi Bel Abbès. When he was only a year old, the family settled in south of France. It was not long before the young Ali would started kicking a ball around of the streets grabbing the attention of district side ROC Narbonne at only 10 years and seven years later he had already signed for FC Martigues. Encouraged by his father, Ali wanted to have a professional career in the game but knew that it would only come through hard-work. Playing in the youth team, Ali was quickly promoted to the first team in 1987 and went onto help the club into the French first division after winning the second division title in 1993. He was part of the side that was promoted to Ligue 1 in 1993, operating as a midfielder.

After Martigues were relegated in 1995, he was signed by AS Monaco and two seasons later he helped the club to a league title mounting speculation in the French media on whether the coach of France Aime Jacquet should select him for the national team after several breathtaking performances including an outstanding double in a 3-1 win over Newcastle United in the UEFA Cup. In season 1997-98, he was named Player of the Year in the France but still no call came from the French coach. Bénarbia had turned down several offers to play for his home country of Algeria, as he had always hoped to play for France. After three seasons with AS Monaco, he moved to Bordeaux for £1m and helped the club, where Zidane made his name to the league title. With Ali playing the best football of his career, Paris St.Germain tabled an offer of £2m for the Algerian player only a month before the end of the season, the club accepted but the deal was kept quiet until Bordeaux had clinched the title, although he failed to capture the same form there.

Laure Manaudou (French pronunciation: [lɔʁ manodu]; born 9 October 1986 in Villeurbanne, Rhône) is a French Olympic, world and European champion swimmer. She is the daughter of a French father and a Dutch mother.

Manaudou currently holds the world records for the 400 meter freestyle (short course), but she has lost her "long course" record, which is set in 50 meter pools. She won the gold medal in the women's 400 meter freestyle at the 2004 Athens Olympics. It was France's first gold medal ever in women's swimming and the first swimming gold medal won by a French athlete since Jean Boiteux's victory in the 400 meter men's freestyle event at Helsinki in 1952. Manaudou won the silver medal in the women's 800 meter freestyle at the Athens Olympics. In that race, she had a quick start but was passed down the stretch by Ai Shibata of Japan. She also won the bronze medal in the women's 100 meter backstroke, becoming only the second Frenchwoman to win three medals in a single Olympic Games, Summer or Winter. The first one was the track and field athlete Micheline Ostermeyer in London in 1948. Manaudou was by far the best swimmer on the French team, and did not have the team support to win a medal in the women's 4×200 m freestyle relay.