2023-06-27 20:49:07
Félix Lebrun against Romanian Andrei Eduard Ionescu in the quarter-finals of the men’s singles of the European Games table tennis competition in Krakow, June 26, 2023. JANEK SKARZYNSKI / AFP
There was no “100% Lebrun” final at the men’s singles table tennis tournament of the European Games in Krakow (Poland), Tuesday, June 27. The fault of the Portuguese Marcos Freitas, who came to spoil the scenario dreamed up by the French delegation by eliminating Alexis, 19, the eldest of the tricolor siblings, prodigy of the discipline, in the semi-finals (4-2). But the Lebrun clan and its supporters still have reason to rejoice: Félix, 16, and his brother were both invited to the podium of the continental meeting.
Better, the youngest climbs, for the first time in his young career, on the highest step in an individual competition, after overcoming Marcos Freitas at the end of a suspenseful final where his third match point was the good one. (4-3). Alexis, he finished adorned with bronze without even having measured the Croatian Andrej Gacina, touched in the adductors and package before the meeting for 3rd place.
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The Lebruns therefore conclude in the most beautiful way a competition, which will have seen the eldest, 18th player in the world, overthrow the reigning European champion and big favorite – the German Qui Dang, in the quarter-finals (4-1 ) – and the youngest sign a faultless course, he who however only points to 32nd in the world. A good omen almost a year from the Paris Olympics.
Above all, the French numbers 1 and 2 confirm their dazzling progress, in a sport where they have always been able to count on the support of their father Stéphane, a former player and now coach in Montpellier, but also their uncle, Christophe Legoût, triple champion of France. , 5th at the Athens Games in 2000, and former 14th in the world.
Already at the end of April, Alexis, who only entered the top 1,000 in January 2022, created a surprise by beating world number 1, Fan Zhendong, in front of his home crowd in Macau (China) .
Harvest of medals for the Blues
Their successes have also boosted France’s medal table, which is expected to reach 6th position in the nations ranking at the European Games with a total of 35 charms: seven gold, eleven in silver and seventeen in bronze.
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The meeting serves as preparation for the next Olympic Games, where 19 of the 29 disciplines present will be on the program. And it is also one of them, artistic swimming in an acrobatic team, which offered the first gold medal to the French delegation – Les Bleues winning against Ukraine and Italy.
Also note the fine performance of the French climbers, who won six medals in the various climbing events (four in gold and two in silver). In the ascent to Paris 2024, there is also a certain Magda Wiet-Hénin (- 67 kg): the taekwondo world champion won bronze in Krakow. France has until July 2 to add more medals to its suitcase.
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