On either side of the waterline, Ugo Didier and Hector Denayer face each other, arms mirrored. Still a little dazed, the two friends are preparing to share the podium in the 200-metre medley on Thursday 5 September, finishing second and third respectively (in the SM9 category, dedicated to swimmers with coordination deficiency, weakness in one leg or missing limbs).
TO repeat for the French, who were already together on the podium at the European Championships in Funchal (Portugal) at the end of April, in this same event (gold for Didier, silver for his younger brother). “We dreamed about it at the European Championships and we achieved it. This time we didn’t even talk about it, because we knew there was density, we just tried to run on our own and give our best.”said Hector Denayer. At just 19, the Dijon Natation Alliance graduate had already won silver in the 100m breaststroke (SB9), at his first Paralympic Games.
For the eldest, aged 22, it is his third medal since the start of the competition, after the gold in the 400m freestyle on the first day and the silver in the 100m backstroke. When I see the light turn on in my plot, I feel super happy, I look directly at where the third light turns on and when I see that it is Hector at the end, I can’t believe it, Ugo Didier reacted. [Ce doublé]We hadn’t even considered it because the competition was so intense. Sharing a Paralympic podium is an extraordinary moment. » With their medals around their necks, the two Frenchmen savoured their victory with their fans, waving in front of the sea of tricolour flags.
Wave and lap of honor
This double, the second after that of the Portal brothers, is all the more unexpected given that, on Thursday morning, during the playoffs, Hector Denayer freaked out, describing himself as extremely accurate. “I was a bit lucky to get to this final, but I was able to do it. This role as an outsider suits me well, I am at home, I do the show as I know how, commented the cadet, who suffers from agenesis in his left hand. I went out quickly in butterfly, backstroke, I managed to hold on and once I went out in breaststroke I didn’t see anyone, I was isolated in my corner. »
He worked hard in the last fifteen metres to finally set a time of 2 min 17 s 34. The big favourite, the Australian Timothy Hodge never gave a second thought (2 min 13 s 31), despite the strategy put in place by Ugo Didier (2 min 15 s 98). “I knew it was going to be very difficult to get it. I wanted to push myself hard enough to make him panic a little and tense up while swimming. Well, it didn’t work, but I gave it my all.”satisfied the Toulouse resident, who had not trained specifically for this test this year.
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