One hundred and thirty-eight athletes and fifteen guides or assistants (3 para-athletics, 3 boccia, 2 para-cycling, 2 5-a-side football, 1 para rowing and 4 para triathlon) will be in Tokyo to defend the colors of the French delegation during the Paralympic Games (August 24 – September 5). Among them, 30 athletes come from the West.
We have listed them here according to three categories: athletes who have already won medals in previous editions, those who have already taken part in the Games without winning any medals and those who are experiencing their first Olympic competition. In parentheses, we have indicated the discipline practiced, the place and date of birth (or age) and the club where these athletes play. Here is the full list of sportsmen in the West.
They are already medalists at the Games
Thu Kamkasomphou (table tennis, born October 12, 1968 in Savannakhet, Laos, started in Rennes, graduated from Olympique Hyères Toulon): Table tennis player Rennaise Thu Kamkasomphou, 52, will participate in her sixth Paralympic Games. The athlete has no less than 8 Paralympic medals: 2 in gold (in individual in 2000 and 2008), 2 in silver (in individual in 2012, 2016) and 4 in bronze (by team in 2000 and 2004, in individual in 2004, and by teams in 2008). She was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease at the age of 17: periarteritis (inflammation of the vessels causing damage to the arteries).
Louis Radius (athletics, born December 9, 1969 in Suresnes, lives in Brittany and trains at Paris University Club): Already present in Rio for the 2016 Games, where he was bronze medalist over 1,500m, the Dinardais Louis Radius – from Bénodet, in Finistère – is a middle distance runner. He suffers from hemiplegia on his left side.
Perle Bouge (rowing, born on 1is December 1977 in Rennes, trains at Aviron Bayonnais): Born in Rennes, the one who started with wheelchair basketball now trains at Aviron Bayonnais. She was a double Paralympic medalist: silver in London (2012) and bronze in Rio (2016).
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Florian Merrien (table tennis, born November 21, 1984 in Mont-Saint-Aignan (Seine-Maritime), Argentan): He is participating in his fourth Paralympic Games. He has been medalist at each of the previous editions: team gold in 2008, team bronze in 2012 and individual bronze in Rio.
Arnaud Assoumani (athletics, born September 4, 1985 in Orsay, Nantes Métropole Athlétisme): The athlete will participate in his fifth Games. He has been a medalist in all the editions in which he has participated: bronze in the long jump (6.91 m) in 2004, gold in 2008 (7.23 m, world record), silver in the jump in long jump (7.13 m) and in triple jump (14.28 m) in 2012, bronze in the long jump (7.11 m) in 2016.
Daniel Lelou (archery, born October 2, 1962 in Chaudron-en-Mauges (Maine-et-Loire), Archery Choletais): A team silver medalist in 1984 in New York and bronze in 1988 in Seoul, he resumed training eight years ago in preparation for Tokyo.
Stéphane Houdet (tennis, born November 20, 1970 in Saint-Nazaire (Loire-Atlantique), TC Riez): Double gold medalist in doubles (in Beijing 2008 and Rio 2016), silver medalist in singles in London, where he also won bronze in doubles, Stéphane Houdet was elected flag bearer of the France Paralympic team for Tokyo, with judokate Sandrine Martinet. At 50, the Nazairien, licensed at TC Riez, in Vendée, participates in his fourth Games.
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Stéphane Houdet is the flag bearer for the Tokyo Paralympic Games. © Reuters
Gwladys Lemoussu (triathlon, born April 12, 1989 in Paris, Jean-de-Monts Vendée Triathlon (Vendée)): Gwladys Lemoussu won the bronze medal in the PT4 category at the Rio Games in 2016.
Frédéric Cattanéo (tennis, born December 3, 1978 in Salé, Morocco, Arnage (Sarthe): Silver medalist at the London Games in 2012, he will experience his third Games.
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Ronan Pallier (athletics, born October 23, 1970 in Sainte-Marie (35), evolves in Nantes): He was a bronze medalist at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in the T11-T13 4×100 relay and also competed in the Athens 2004 Games.
Gilles de La Bourdonnaye (table tennis, born January 27, 1973 in Dakar, Senegal, Nantes) : He won individual silver in 1992, gold in Atlanta in singles and Sydney in team, silver in team in 2004, bronze in team in 2008. He will participate in his sixth Games.
They have already participated in the Games
Tanguy de la Forest (shooting, born April 21, 978 in Rennes, AS Du Cercle Du Bois De Boulogne): Vice-president in charge of high level for the French Handisport Federation and secretary general of the French Paralympic and Sports Committee, the Rennais Tanguy De La Forest hopes to finally climb on a Paralympic podium. He will take part in his fifth Games in Tokyo and has already finished on the podium twice.
Matéo Bohéas (table tennis, born October 9, 1996 in Saint-Sébastien-sur-Loire (Loire-Atlantique), Loups d’Angers): Quarter-finalist in singles, Angevin had obtained a 4e team place at the Rio Paralympic Games in 2016.
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Céline Gerny (horse riding, born April 24, 1982 in Rethel (08), Reims): The rider has already competed at the Games in 2008 and 2016 (6e).
Vladimir Vinchon (riding, born January 24, 1974, in Saint-Quentin (02), CDOS Mayenne): The Mayennais will participate in his second Games after 2012 in London.
Katell Alençon (cycling, born October 9, 1986 in Brest, Handisport Brest): She took part in the Paralympic Games in Rio in 2016 (the only female in the group) and finished ninth in the time trial, then a nice seventh place in the road race. Originally from Drennec, the Finistérienne had her right leg amputated in 2011 due to a serious complication after a sprained ankle.
The new kids
There will also be novices in Tokyo. Here is the list :
Claire Supiot (swimming, born February 28, 1968 in Angers, Angers Natation): Claire Supiot has a long swimming career behind her. In 1988, she competed in the Seoul Games as an able-bodied. But his career was interrupted in 1989 when the diagnosis of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease was made. She is the first French athlete to achieve this “double”: participation in the Olympic Games and 33 years later, one in the Paralympics. In the same discipline, moreover.
Faustine Noël (badminton, born December 25, 1993 in Saint-Sébastien-sur-Loire (Loire-Atlantique), Rennes EC Badminton)
Anaëlle Roulet (swimming, born February 19, 1996 in La Roche sur Yon, Les Sables-d’Olonne swimming)
Lenaïg Morin, (badminton, 29 years old, born in Rennes, Fougères)
David Toupé, (badminton, born in March 1977 in Rennes,)
Alexis Hanquinquant, (triathlon, born December 28, 1985 in Yvetot (Seine-Maritime), Rouen)
Florent Marais (swimming, born July 8, 2000 in Granville, Circles des nageurs d’Antibes)
Gaëtan Menguy (tennis, 38, Vendée)
Jordan Ducret (wheelchair rugby, born November 8, 1995 in Sens (Yonne), Atlantic wheelchair rugby)
Alexandre Paviza (para triathlon, born August 2, 1971 in Nantes, Triathlon Club Nantais)
Mona Francis (paratriathlon, 30 years old, Saint-Herblain Triathlon)
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Alexandre Léauté, (cycling, born October 12, 2000 in Pontivy, he plays at the Pôle espoir national d’Urt in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques)
Thibaut Rigaudeau (triathlon, born September 4, 1990 in La Roche-sur-Yon (Vendée), he plays at the RMA Paris Triathlon)
Dorian Foulon (cycling, born May 2, 1998 in La Chapelle-Caro (Morbihan), he plays at the Pôle espoir national d’Urt in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques)
Kévin Le Cunff (cycling, born March 16, 1988 in Longjumeau (Essonne), he plays in Dunkirk CH). A former professional, Kévin grew up in Sainte-Hélène, in Morbihan, where he spent ten years of his life. Part of his family is still living there.
Jérémy Sauffisseau (blind football, born in Rennes on September 10, 1985), will be the goalkeeper of the French blind football team. The goalkeepers are the only visionaries on the team. His role is essential to communicate in the team. He is a coach in the youth category at Rennais Stadium.
François Pervis (cycling, born October 16, 1984 in Château-Gontier (Mayenne), he plays at Laval Cyclisme 53). Team bronze medalist at speed at the Olympic Games in Rio, the Mayenne will play his first Paralympic Games, as Raphaël Beaugillet’s guide in tandem.
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