At 25, for his first major championship, Luidgi Midelton was strong. Licensed to Beauvais Fencing Academy (ABE) Since 2015, the native of Abymes, in Guadeloupe, won the gold medal at the European épée championship this Thursday, June 20, in Basel, Switzerland.
U20 junior world champion in 2018, Luidgi took time to break through among the seniors. But in December 2023, he won a World Cup stage in Vancouver, Canada. A victory which earned him a selection among the three swordsmen who will defend the colors of France during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. «Since I was very young, my goal has been to be at the Olympic Games and become an Olympic champion.smiles the athlete. It became real during my first Olympics in Tokyo. But I was among the substitutes. It frustrated me a lot, but also motivated me to go and get the qualification for Paris. Now, I’m going to do everything to go and get the Olympic title..»
An individual gold medal…
What could be better, to prepare well for the Olympics, than to win a European Championship? This is what the adopted Beauvaisian achieved, beating the Hungarian Gergely Siklosi (15-13), Olympic vice-champion, former world champion and world number 2 of discipline. Excuse me a little.
«I went there crescendohe says afterwards. During the group stages, I won three matches and lost three. I wasn’t in my competition yet. I refocused and had good feelings, my confidence was at its maximum. Every time I came up against an opponent, I told myself that I had to win. I was always thinking about how to win. I always remained confident.»
But in the final, Luidgi achieved a real feat.He had a crazy matchsmiles Xavier Lambertyn, president of the ABE. Siklosi came back to score and Luidgi remained calm, composed his game. He did not lose concentration even though he was still the world number two! Luidgi is a very calm person, he doesn’t have a big head. He has goals and he will achieve them.»
…and as a team!
Two days later, Luidgi Midelton took part in the coronation of the France team. A second gold medal in two days for the Beauvais champion. “I was still feeling my feelings about the individual competitionsays the big guy. I felt very good, I let go. The way to approach a team match is different. Basically, I’m very relaxed, here I’m even more so: all four of us share the pressure. If one of us is less good, another can perform.»
Focus on the Olympic Games
In two days, Luidgi Midelton will have won two gold medals at the European Championships. A few weeks before the Olympic Games, he naturally becomes one of the outsiders, and will be eagerly awaited. “The adversaries observe me yes, but I also observe them», he smiles mischievously.
After celebrating his titles, the fencer continues his preparation at Insep before starting a preparation course with the French team in Nevers, then a final course in Forges-les-Eaux. He will return to the Olympic village around July 25, in a month. The individual competition will take place on July 28, the team competition on August 2. He assures him, he will do everything to bring home two medals. “The spine is strong for 28 and 2, breathes Emmanuel Mortecrette, fencing master of the ABE. He is a very serious boy, rigorous in his lifestyle and his preparation.»
Luidgi therefore has a good chance of bringing home one or even two medals to Beauvais.
