“Are you the real-life journalist?” The communication difficulties of his childhood seem a long way away for Lucas Créange, all smiles at the beginning of July, a few weeks before tackling his third Paralympic Games. At Paris 2024 – he enters the competition on Wednesday, September 4 – the table tennis player, who has a form of autism, is competing in class 11, which concerns athletes with an intellectual disability. After his bronze medal in Tokyo in 2021, the 31-year-old athlete is aiming for a new podium, in a category with “very homogeneous level”and says ” confident “ : “At the moment, I’m on a good dynamic, I’m playing well.”
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His Paralympic medal in Tokyo shook up Lucas Créange’s daily life, and he had to take it all in stride “much greater media coverage of the Games” compared to the World or European Championships, where the table tennis player had already accumulated seven medals of all metals. Suddenly, there he is receiving “many more messages than usual” ; this medal “changed a lot of things”relate-t-il.
Subject to stress – especially in the important moments of major competitions – Lucas Créange had a complicated post-Games period. Since 2022, he has been working with a mental trainer, who helps him “to better manage tense situations”At the start of the year, while his qualification for Paris 2024 was not assured, he was able to string together two victories in two Opens in Brazil and Egypt, decisive in moving up the world rankings. “It allowed me to qualify, save time in my preparation and give me peace of mind.”he states.
A defensive-based playing style
To shine at home, there is no shortage of work. “With my coach, we make a lot of videos, to analyze the opponents and put things in place”explains Lucas Créange. Because the adversity is formidable, starting with the reigning champion, a Hungarian named Peter Palos. “It’s very, very tough, between the first and the eighth in the world, the level is very close. Everyone can beat everyone”predicts the French coach, Gang Xu.
This former high-level table tennis player of Chinese origin forms a close team with his protégé. “He’s been my go-to coach since 2021, but he’s been looking after me in competitions since 2016.”recalls the athlete. “A few days ago, Lucas told me that we first met in 2011 in a table tennis hall.”relate M. Xu. “I hadn’t spoken to you but I had attended some of your matches. Even without training, you still had a good level.”remembers Lucas Créange, whose memory has recorded everything.
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