You’ve got to go for it
Interview with Lucas Didier, a table tennis champion
Lucas Didier is a table tennis champion who represents France in the 2024 Paralympic Game. He’s been playing table tennis since he was five and is also studying to become a chiropractor.
Lucas, can you tell us a bit about yourself and your sport?
I’m 20 years old. I play para-table tennis because I have a handicap called club foot and also lower limb muscular atrophy, as well as a missing cruciate ligament in my knee. I started playing 15 years ago, when I was very young.
To reduce the number of physiotherapy sessions, the doctors and my parents encouraged me to take up sports. The options were swimming and table tennis. I enjoy table tennis because you’ve got an opponent in front of you but you’ve also got someone who you can talk to.
Where are you in your sporting career? What motivates you?
Right now, I won a bronze medal at the European Championships in 2023 and another one at the World Championships in 2022. When you win you feel so satisfied with yourself. That’s what motivates me. I’ve also qualified for the Paris Paralympic Games, which is very exciting. I do a lot of training every day – one and a half to two hours – and that has also helped me get where I am. But above all, I enjoy myself – that’s the most important thing. I really want to retain this notion of pleasure.
Do you manage to work on the side, do you study?
Yes. I’m studying to be a chiropractor.
How has ALTEN’s support helped you to get to where you are?
To qualify for the Paralympics, there is a ranking system. To move up in this ranking, you have to play in foreign tournaments. For example, since January 2024, I’ve been to Brazil, Egypt, Spain, Italy, Poland. It’s really cool. ALTEN has been helping me since 2021 to make all these trips and take part in these championships – they were my first sponsors.
Has your handicap made you stronger?
I don’t know if it has made me stronger, but in any case, it’s something that has made me discover new things. It’s enabled me to do things that I wouldn’t have been able to do if I didn’t have this handicap.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to follow in your footsteps and maybe one day succeed in going all the way to the Paralympics?
You’ve got to go for it, you’ve got to take the plunge, you’ve got to try.
