“We are going to try to get a medal” at the World Team Championships (February 16-25 in South Korea), declared Monday the new sensation of world table tennis Félix Lebrun, 17 years old, ensuring not to think “too much” at the Paris Olympic Games “for the moment”.
“The Olympic Games are a long time away, they’re in six months (…) For the moment at least I’m not thinking about it too much, it’s more about everyone (the world) around me,” underlined the youngest of the Lebrun brothers, European No.1 and world No.6 in his discipline, during a meeting with journalists Monday in Tremblay-en-France (Seine-Saint-Denis).
A way to relieve the pressure, and the expectations born from the phenomenal rise of the young table tennis player, whom some already see on the Olympic podium, which would be a first individually for a Frenchman since Jean-Philippe Gatien, Olympic vice-champion in Barcelona in 1992.
“The World (team) Championships are a very important event, so we are really focused on that,” continued Félix Lebrun.
Félix Lebrun, his eldest Alexis Lebrun (20 years old, 22nd in the world) and Simon Gauzy (29 years old, 30th), will form the backbone of the French men’s team in Busan, quarter-finalist at the previous World Team Championships in October 2022 in Chengdu.
“In Chengdu (…), we came out in the quarter-finals leading two (sets to) zero, so a little frustrated,” recalled Félix Lebrun, who was then at the start of his meteoric rise. “This is a great revenge, we want to get there and perform as much as possible,” he added.
He will then have time to plan for the Games.
“Paris, for the moment, we are far from it, so for the moment, I am not setting a precise objective because six months is enormous. Six months ago, I wasn’t where I am today. So honestly, I don’t really set any goals for myself. Above all, I want to progress as much as possible until Paris and continue to perform as I am doing at the moment,” he concluded.
