So close, so far. It was only August 10, exactly 130 days ago, and yet it seems like another year ago. In another era. Perhaps because the Olympic Games were only a magnificent parenthesis in a very gloomy period. But the great thing about legendary sporting moments is that you only need a second to immerse yourself and relive the event. Feel emotions and see the Arena Paris Sud again as full as it is vibrant, to the point of making its immense metal stands move. Remember this magnificent performance by an unplayable French men’s volleyball team in the final against Poland (3-0). Remember this incredible defense by Earvin Ngapeth with one hand, diving, on an attack from Wilfredo Leon in the middle of the third set, a few points after the “special” of the star player of the Blues with his back to the net to play against the Polish counter .
“Two perfect matches to keep the medal at home”
There are also, and above all, these two raised arms of the French receiver-attacker when Leon’s last service ended outside the limits of the field to offer a pedestal to the French and take them to the highest step of the podium and thus allow for this golden generation to offer themselves a second medal of the same metal as them, after the Tokyo coronation. “We are capable of anythingrecalled Earvin Ngapeth, author of eight points in the final. From the worst to the best. But when we are like that, we know that we are very complicated to play. There are smiles. It even goes beyond the final of the Games. We said to ourselves: “Guys, we’re having fun living this moment together and then we’ll see.” » The whole world saw them.
The receiver-attacker gained strength throughout the competition.
© (Photo, FIVB)
The Poitevin physical trainer of the French team Laurent Lecina was, on the other hand, the only one to observe and accompany the current Alterna SPVB player the day before, at 10:30 p.m., in the weight room. To activate a body which did not leave him alone last summer, and in particular a recalcitrant calf which had almost deprived him of a League of Nations also won by the Blues.
Without changing discipline, Earvin Ngapeth embarked on a time trial in order to heal himself and climb the steps one by one to finally reach the summit of Olympus. A second time. After battles, in the group stage, against Serbia (3-2), Canada (3-0) and Slovenia (2-3), then overthrowing Germany (3-2) and its “big arm » Grözer in the quarter-final, then by flying over the semi-final against the great Italian rivals (3-0), with fifteen points at stake for the star of French volleyball… and tears when his final attack sent flying shattered hands by Romano.
Peroxide blonde hair, like during the first international campaigns contested with the young French teams, Earvin Ngapeth then fell to his knees, without holding back his emotions, without staying too long on the field either. “I left because otherwise I was going to complain too muchsmiled the man who was going to be elected best competitive player for a second time after Tokyo. I still rap. » But it was a symphony, orchestrated by Poitevin passer Antoine Brizard, that the Blues ultimately played in their last two matches. “Two perfect matches to keep the medal at home”he assured. In front of their loved ones, their families.
Earvin Ngapeth can raise his fist. He fulfilled his dream of winning the Olympic title on home soil.
© (Photo, FIVB)
His mother Christine, his wife, his children, his little brother Swan and his father Eric, who was as skilled in the stands as his son on the pitch to sneak into the front row, were among the 12,000 spectators at the Paris Sud Arena . To see their Earvin “fight like a lion”said the first, and enter a little more into the legend. With this status of double Olympic champion for eternity…
To follow: “I carried the flame”, “I was an official in events”, “I was a volunteer”, “I was a spectator”.
