“With this medal I will no longer be just Ugo’s little brother” Lucas Didier mischievously hinted to reporters on Saturday 7 September after receiving the silver medal in the MS9 category, reserved for standing players, in the table tennis tournament.
Valérie and Philippe, his parents, were not at the Paris Sud Arena to congratulate him, but at the La Défense Arena swimming pool in Nanterre, where their other son, Ugo, finished fifth in the final of the 4 x 100m mixed freestyle relay. “I asked them not to come because I prefer to stay in my bubble”justifies the young table tennis player (21 years old).
Far from his parents’ eyes, Lucas Didier was thus defeated in the final by Belgian Laurens Devos. Double gold medallist in Tokyo in 2021, undefeated for seven years, the latter won in three sets (11-9, 11-7, 11-7). In the morning, the Frenchman eliminated Australian Ma Lin, another big name on the circuit, in the semi-finals at the end of a thrilling match.
“I think he had a great time throughout the competition. He was able to benefit from it and I think only positive things will come out of it.” Ugo Didier spoke in the afternoon after his last race. Doing it in your first Games is huge! »
With his silver medal, Lucas will take a bit of the light from the Games, which his brother has been bathing in since his Olympic silver medal in para-swimming in Tokyo. World and European champion, the latter will leave Paris with three additional medals (gold in the 400m freestyle, silver in the 100m backstroke and 200m medley). A success that has attracted the attention of the media.
“ It was a bit tough for Lucas because the journalists were constantly talking to him about his brother. He came to the Games with ambitions and we spoke to him about Ugo for ten days out of thirteen. So it’s great that he managed to do it.” welcomes Roza Soposki, Head of Table Tennis Performance at the French Handisport Federation.
Little rivalry
The two brothers are only one year apart in age, suffer from the same disability (clubfoot and atrophy of the lower limbs), but did not choose the same discipline, following the advice of their parents. The idea was to avoid them meeting in competition, while the priority was to use sport to lighten their rehabilitation programme.
There is, however, a slight rivalry between the two brothers, although it is more casual. When they meet in the Olympic village, they avoid talking about sport, just to relax. We make fun of each other a lot, but we don’t compare ourselves, -Lucas trusts-. We will celebrate our medals together, as we should. »
Bronze medallist at the 2022 World Championships and the 2023 European Championships, the Toulouse native has come a long way. “I had a hard time qualifying for the games” he said. Two years earlier, he went through a crisis. “I almost gave up table tennis because I didn’t like playing anymore”reveals. The French team’s staff managed to change his mind.
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“ We talk a lot rewinds Carole Grundisch, her coach. He found a new educational direction that suited him better, chiropractic, he moved back in with his parents, he made friends. All this makes him happy and efficient. »
Lucas Didier, with an atypical and introverted personality, is passionate about books, gardening and photography. We saw him mature throughout the season, throughout the games, continues Roza Soposki. He came to the Games as a young man and he leaves as a man, which is great for him.
This distinction restores the image of French Para table tennis, whose record is rather disappointing, with six Paralympic medals, including one gold, compared to eleven (including two titles) in Tokyo, while the federation’s objective was to win ten awards.
