Behind her blond hair and blue eyes hides an immense ambition. Louise-Aina Taboulet won, this Thursday, June 20 in Budapest, his qualification for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. She competes in two categories: park and street. “When I understood that I was qualified I didn’t really know how to react, I looked at my coach. Then I called my parents and cried“It must be said that she has dreamed of this ticket for the Olympics for a long time.
On a board since he was 6 years old in Perpignan
It was at the age of 6 that his mother, Caroline Taboulet, enrolled him in skateboarding lessons in Perpignan. She and her husband, Julien Taboulet, are windsurfing champions. “I didn’t want her to be the ‘daughter of’. I wanted her to play a sport because it’s a question of education but not the same as ours“, underlines the mother of the siblings who have three boys and a girl. So today, achieving an Olympic qualification before turning 15 is a source of pride.”Above all, I wanted her to be happy“, emphasizes Caroline.
The young girl, already reigning French champion, seems as comfortable on a skateboard as in front of the media. “It’s always a bit impressive but everyone tells me it’s not noticeable“, she smiles. It’s true, it’s impossible to detect embarrassment behind her mischievous eyes. Louise-Aina is in third year and is taking her certificate this year, but nothing scares her. “It’s not always easy to catch up on lessons when we are on the other side of the world for competitions but I have understanding teachers and friends and parents who don’t put pressure. I think it will do it,” she emphasizes optimistically. Indeed, her mother insists: “she could have passed her certificate in September, but no, she wanted to get rid of it before the tests and the continuation and new qualifications for Los Angeles“.
Objective: bring home medals
“Nana” as everyone calls her doesn’t plan to stop there. “I plan to do my best, make a final and maybe bring home some medals“, hopes the young champion. But the Paris 2024 Olympic Games are not her only goal: “I plan to continue throughout my life, to do the 2028 Olympics and those after that!“In summary? You haven’t heard the last of this young skateboarding prodigy.
She will therefore participate July 27,28 at the street events et August 6.7 for those in the parkat Place de la Concorde.
