The Arena Paris Sud has found its queen. She is 19 years old, blonde and called Flora Vautier. In one week, the young woman who lives in Vence in the Alpes-Maritimes, has transformed herself into a true ping pong star. “A star is born” in a very short week thanks to the magic of the Paralympic Games. “This is what I came looking for but it exceeded all my expectations,” happily says the Villepinte native. I have almost 20,000 followers on Instagram. And people can’t stop chanting my name. It was crazy fast.”
In one week, Flora Vautier played three quarter-finals in singles against the world number 1, the German Mikolaschek, whom she really bothered, in doubles with Alexandre Saint-Pierre and especially in mixed doubles with Florian Merrien. With her partner who is 20 years older, Flora won her first Paralympic medal, bronze.
At her side, Florian Merrien saw the chrysalis transform into a butterfly. “I gave myself an improbable look by growing a moustache,” laughs Florian. “It was to play a bit on the Lady and the Tramp side. But it was also to make her laugh. I told myself that when we look at the photos in 20 years, we would find it very funny.” Beyond the physical aspect, it is especially on the table that Flora has taken on another dimension. “I have never seen her play like that,” continues Florian Merrien. “She reached an incredible level during these Games. She is no longer the same Flora.”
“Bitting gold in Los Angeles”
After her defeat against Mikolaschek, Flora Vautier was already looking ahead. Because with her, everything goes at a hundred miles an hour. “Paris is over, and I’m already looking at Los Angeles. I don’t know how, but I’m going to bite the gold there. That’s all I care about now.”
Paris has finished completing the transformation of Queen Flora. We discovered her a week ago on the reserve, all intimacy by the prestigious setting of her Games and here she is now a lioness who only asks to roar. “I didn’t know what effect the encouragement of the public would have on me, continues the one who plays in Nîmes in club. Today, I know that it transcends me. Thanks to the encouragement, I freed myself and I reached a level that surprises even me. For me, this is only the beginning. I really want to be in Los Angeles to grow even more.”
In the meantime, the Flo-Flo (Florian Merrien and Flora Vautier) will savour the last days of these Games and encourage the other French players still in the running. “We’re going to enjoy it until the end,” says Flora. “I love this French team. Boys like Fabien (Lamirault) or Florian (Merrien) are there for me and consider me as their daughter. I’m lucky to be around them.”
For the young woman, who dreamed of GRS when she was little, it is a beautiful revenge on life. She, who was the victim of a road accident at 10 years old, leaving her paraplegic, has become a role model for young people. Her tears after her victory in the quarter-finals and her determination touched an audience, happy to have witnessed the birth of a champion.
