Alexis Hanquinquant (para-triathlon), Pauline Déroulède (wheelchair tennis), Ryadh Sallem (wheelchair rugby), Nélia Barbosa (para-canoe) or even the young Valdoisian Maud Lefort (para-badminton)… while the start of Paralympic Games is fast approaching, the French public is preparing to thrill with incredible champions.
But if all the spotlight is on these elite athletes, this recent fervor for parasport is an opportunity to highlight the lack of visibility and resources from which all other athletes with disabilities suffer.
Adapting the CrossFit© environment
So, in the middle of CrossFit©, most athletes are completely left behind. Due to a lack of support, they do not know where to go to practice peacefully.
It is to put an end to this situation that the family association A bubble in the clouds was created. Its mission: to facilitate the inclusion of athletes with disabilities in the world of sport and especially CrossFit©.
The association already supports 23 athletes with disabilities visible and invisible. It is also supported by passionate godparentsall Crossfit© athletes, like Stéphane Ossanga,Jules Boudou et Julie Pommereul.
“Sport unites and unites across differences! True to these values, we want democratize access to CrossFit© (but not only that!) for all those who wish to practice leisurely or who have high-level ambitions“, explain, Louise Retailleau, founder of Force&Conseil and partner of the association A bubble in the clouds.
Louise Retailleau, crossfitter and partner artist
Nurse for almost 10 years, Louise Retailleau is a crossfiter who has been working for two years in the field of mental coaching for athletes and businesses.
She is also a talented artist who recently exhibited portraits of athletes and also brings together their testimonials in order to share them in video format. It thus pursues the noble ambition of defending and highlighting the values of sport (resilience, determination, courage, sharing, cohesion, mutual aid, humility) and campaigns so that athletes with disabilities have as much visibility and resources as others.
Louise was immediately won over by the action of A Bubble in the Clouds. Alongside other volunteers from the association, she also wishes to help develop partnerships with sponsors, publicize the issues and make everyone’s journey known.
“Their resilient journeys inspire me enormously! They deserve to be highlighted so that everyone can absorb them and in turn transmit this incredible energy.”, she testifies.
His portraits of athletes will be exhibited in Val d’Oise on June 28 and 29 in Montmorencybefore flying abroad to be presented during the legendary Arnold Classic Festivalwhich will take placein Madrid from October 11 to 13.
