This is not really where it all started for Daryl Bultor, back this Thursday, February 9 in Montpellier against a club whose colors he has worn for four seasons. But where he asserted himself, certainly.
Originally from Guadeloupe, where he took his first competitive steps at Creps before joining the Pôle espoir de Bordeaux and then the CNVB, he then signed for Montpellier in 2014. There, the field of possibilities opens up to the contact of Olivier Lecat who arrived in 2016.
“Olivier Lecat taught me the requirement”
“He took a lot of time with me, to talk to me, to explain things to me, without ever being negative”. He remembers his first pro year alongside international center Nicolas Le Goff and Franck Lafitte.
“Of course, I was wondering if I was going to get that level! These doubts were felt on my game. When Olivier arrived, he made me understand that there was work but that it was possible. He was always telling me, you need to think about Tokyo 2020, you need to think about Paris 2024; always have in mind a goal for the very long term, medium term, short term…”
“He taught me the requirement at the top level. In hard times, having something to hang on to and keep working. It worked well with me”.
After Tourcoing this Thursday, Tours is expected on Sunday
Due to the postponed matches that are combined during the normal schedule, Montpellier will host two matches in a row this week with the aim of consolidating its place on the A-League podium.
And to get closer to the leader, since after Tourcoing, this thursday 10 February (20 h), MHSC VB receives the N° 1 of Ligue A, Tours (5 points ahead of Montpellier, one game late extra), carried by another Olympic champion, Kevin Tillie.
Match of the 21st matchday this sunday, February 13 (15:25) on the parquet floor of the Palais des sports Chaban-Delmas in Castelnau-le-Lez.
Around this double news, the club offers a single rate (5 €) this February 10th. Entries under the age of 13 remain free of charge. The coming of Tours is adorned with a gala dress with special ticket prices, streetfood space from 13 pm on a forecourt animated by RTS and Sport Break Montpellier. Compulsory sanitary or vaccination pass.
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At the time, Bultor wasn’t looking as far ahead as that gold medal he won at the Tokyo Olympics last summer. “ First of all because I didn’t know if we were going to qualify, if I was going to be retained. There were many uncertainties but I still had in a corner of my head the desire to be there”.
So, for sure, come back” in one of the places where, in quotes, it all started, it’s a pleasure; even more so with this gold!”
His supporters yesterday won’t find it changed. “I’m still doing the same things, I’m not don’t pay attention actually. Perhaps it is more the look of others, the requirement for me, that have changed”.
In the short term, Daryl Bultor has only one thing in mind: this move from Tourcoing, whose colors he has been wearing since 2020, to Montpellier. He will meet Nicolas Le Goff, his teammate at Les Bleus and Olivier Lecat of course. But no feeling on the floor.
“Outsmarting the predictions”
Especially since TVB, 9th overall, is in a complicated situation, while it continues with the A-League premiers: it lost to the leader, Tours (3/0) on the 19th day before coming to challenge the MHSC VB this Thursday and then going to Narbonne (3rd) Sunday (21st day).
“The group is living well, despite the defeats. We are trying to change a few things to break this spiral knowing that after Narbonne, we will have matches against direct competitors to hang the play-off. But we come to Montpellier to thwart the predictions even if few people see us winning”.
The MHSC VB will know to be wary of it while it had suffered during its last in Chaban-Delmas against Toulouse (3/2), before being merciless in Cannes (0/3).
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