Little brother of multi-medal winning swimmer Ugo, table tennis player Lucas Didier has made a name for himself

“With this medal, I will no longer be just Ugo’s little brother,” Lucas Didier mischievously told journalists on Saturday, September 7, after receiving the silver medal in the para table tennis tournament in the MS9 category, reserved for standing players.

Valérie and Philippe, his parents, were not at the Arena Paris Sud to congratulate him, but at the La Défense Arena swimming pool in Nanterre, where their other son, Ugo, finished fifth in the mixed 4 x 100 m freestyle relay final. “I asked them not to come because I prefer to stay in my bubble”justifies the young table tennis player (21 years old).

It was therefore far from the eyes of his parents that Lucas Didier was beaten in the final by the Belgian Laurens Devos. Double gold medalist in Tokyo in 2021, undefeated for seven years, the latter won in three sets (11-9, 11-7, 11-7). In the morning, the Frenchman had eliminated the Australian Ma Lin, another big name on the circuit, in the semi-final at the end of a thrilling match.

“I think he had a blast throughout the competition. He was able to enjoy himself and I think only positive things will come out of it, Ugo Didier spoke in the evening after his last race. To do it for your first Games is huge!”

With his silver medal, Lucas will take a little of the Games light that his brother has been bathed in since his Olympic vice-championship in para swimming in Tokyo. World and European champion, the latter will leave Paris with three additional medals (gold in the 400m freestyle, silver in the 100m backstroke and 200m medley). A success that has focused the attention of the media.

« It was a bit hard for Lucas because the journalists systematically spoke to him about his brother. He arrived at the Games with ambitions and we spoke to him about Ugo for ten days out of thirteen. So it’s great that he succeeded,” says Roza Soposki, performance manager for para table tennis at the French Handisport Federation.

Little rivalry

The two brothers are only one year apart, suffer from the same disability (club foot and atrophy of the lower limbs), but they did not choose the same discipline, following the advice of their parents. The idea was to avoid them finding themselves in competition, while the priority was to use sport to lighten their rehabilitation program.

Between the two brothers, a small rivalry exists however, but it is rather relaxed. When they meet in the Olympic village, they avoid talking about sport, just to unwind. We tease each other a lot, but we don’t compare ourselves, trust Lucas. We will celebrate our medals together, as it should be.”

Bronze medalist at the world championships in 2022 and the European championships in 2023, the Toulouse native has come a long way. “I struggled to qualify for the games,” he said. Two years earlier, he went through a crisis. “I almost gave up table tennis because I no longer enjoyed playing”he reveals. The staff of the French team managed to make him change his mind.

« We talked a lot, rewinds Carole Grundisch, his trainer. He found a new academic direction that suits him better, chiropractic, he returned to live with his parents, he found his friends again. All this means that he is fulfilled and he is performing well.”

An atypical personality, introverted, Lucas Didier is passionate about books, gardening and photography. We saw him mature throughout the season, as the matches went on, continues Roza Soposki. At the Games, he arrived as a young man and he leaves as a man, it’s great for him.”

This distinction will brighten up the French para table tennis scene, whose record is rather disappointing, with six Paralympic medals, including one gold, compared to eleven (including two titles) in Tokyo, while the federation’s objective was ten awards.