Halfway there. After counting on ten medals for French ping pong, Fabien Lamirault, the driving force of this sport, has just brought a fifth trinket during these Paralympic Games. This Tuesday, after lunch, the French supporters found their voices and joy again after a very gloomy morning with the eliminations in the quarterfinals of Florian Merrien and Thu Kamkasomphou.
But all is forgotten when the last torchbearer of the Paralympic flame, who lit the cauldron at the opening ceremony with four other athletes, enters the Arena Paris Sud, which is heated to white heat. And that’s what it takes to be the least against the experienced 42-year-old Korean Park Jin Cheol. The Lamirault rocket perfectly takes off to lead (5-0) in the first set. “What I like is the end of sets where each point becomes a life-and-death duel. At that point, it’s a mental game. And I love pressure.”
Gold? “That’s why I came to Paris”
To get back into his game plan, the Longjumeau native lets himself get back on track to snatch the first set (11-9). The scenario is identical in the second set (11-9) and then in the third with an even greater intensity (13-11). “I’m not being picky about winning in three sets. We’re at the Games and all the matches are difficult. It’s a good thing to have saved myself a 4th or even a 5th set.”
With his victory, which ensures him a second medal in Paris along with the bronze with his buddy Julien Michaud in the men’s doubles, the 44-year-old Frenchman is already looking ahead to tomorrow (Wednesday) at 5 p.m. and his semi-final against the Czech Jiri Suchanek. “I’m not thinking about the medal at all. The work is not finished,” assures Lamirault. Because the only thing that matters to him is winning a third singles title after Rio and Tokyo. Which would make him enter even more into the legend of ping pong, but also of French sport with a total of 7 medals in four participations in the Games.
“That’s why I came to Paris. In fact, everyone is working hard and studying me on video. The matches are now decided on details. If everyone is improving, I’m still here. What interests me is that I’m getting stronger during these Games. During the doubles, I wasn’t too happy with my level of play. Against the Spaniard, in the previous round, it was already better. But now against the Korean, I feel that it’s getting stronger. And we’ll have to keep going for the semi-final.”
Like a true showman, Fabien Lamirault played with the French public when necessary. Either by haranguing them, or by pretending that he wasn’t going to elaborate. Or by triggering a clap at the end of the match. “I can afford to do it because I’m in Paris and because I’m winning. If I don’t do it today, when will I? That’s also why we wanted to experience the Games at home. When you see your wife, your children, your friends in the stands. Those are still magical moments…”
