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As French table tennis players, led by the locomotive of the Lebrun brothers, dream of shining at the Paris Olympics, clubs like the one in Seine-Saint-Denis are looking to capitalize on this enthusiasm.
“We don’t let the ball drop!” On this Tuesday afternoon in late February, during the training session for the 12-16 age category, Camille Sauzet raises her voice. The ball that the coach of the Saint-Denis club is referring to is not for football, the predominant sport in Seine-Saint-Denis. Here, it is small and orange. In the “La Raquette” hall, located in the heart of Saint-Denis, aspiring athletes are passionate about table tennis. Tables for “ping” – the nickname for this sport – can be seen as far as the eye can see.
The Saint-Denis Tennis de Table 93 club stands out as a model in the department with nearly 350 licensed members and two professional teams – male and female. Trophies adorn the walls in the stands. “These are from when we were champions of Europe and champions of France in 2021,” explains Jean-Claude Molet, the club’s president, pointing to the newspaper clippings glorifying his teams.
In a few months, the Olympic Games will take place in France. With its recent rise in power, embodied by the Lebrun siblings, France is starting to dream of medals in the discipline. “Of course, we are carried by Lebrunmania,” rejoices Jean-Claude Molet. A French table tennis player standing on the Olympic podium has not happened since the Tokyo Olympics.
