this athlete from Haute-Garonne is aiming for a world medal in an obstacle course in Abu Dhabi

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Ludovic Lecouffe will participate from Friday November 29 to Sunday 1^is December, at Abu Dhabito Spartan Race World Championships. This discipline combines running and jumping. It calls on the strength, endurance and agility capabilities of the participants. Among the four racing categories, we find the Beast which offers a route varying on average 21 to 25 kilometers and gathering around thirty obstacles. It is in this that the athlete from Villefranche-de-Lauragais will try to win a world medal.

Coach in a gym

Established for 20 years in the region, Ludovic Lecouffe is currently sports coach at the Gymnasia gym in Villefranche-de-Lauragais. Aged 43, he maintains a special relationship with Lauragais. “That’s where I arrived after finishing my military career,” he recalls. “Major stages of my life took place there, my children were born there. It has become my cocoon,” he continues.

In 2022, he discovered the Spartan Race thanks to a work colleague. He launched his career during a stage at Carcassonnea race which was quickly followed by around ten others, including two world championships in Sparta and Morzinewhere he will finish respectively at the 22^e et 17^e places in its category.

“I have always liked to push my limits”

The athlete explains his rise in this discipline by several objectives which push him to perform on a daily basis. “I have always liked to push my limits”he says. He, who does not have the standard size of a Spartan Race runner – he measures only 1m69 and is quite massive – says he wants to “show that whatever your physique, you can succeed in any sport. »

It is this mentality that pushed him to enter the world event which will take place this last weekend of November in the Desert from Al Wathba. An ordeal which “will not be fun”, warns the Villefranchois.

The podium as a goal

In order to finance his adventure, Ludovic Lecouffe had set up a Leetchi prize pool. The latter allowed him to collect several hundred euros. His past experiences allow him toapproach the deadline in the United Arab Emirates with confidence: “Having already obtained good results in the world championships made me realize that I am capable of doing it. I am able to accomplish things that seem extraordinary . »

If he faced a difficult preparation, during which he had to confront “motivation gaps”and one calf injurythe runner sets himself big goals for this world event. “I want to succeed in finishing, but also in reach the podium in my categoryeven if it may seem too ambitious,” he says. Before concluding: “It galvanizes me to see that people believe in me to the point of participating in my kitty. I want to bring back something beautifulabove all for me, but also for them. »

Ancelin Emery

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