“Alsatians Shine in French Youth Badminton Championships: Three Win Gold”

Last year, among the youngest, she had succeeded in the grand slam, winning gold in singles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles. Élisa Hess (ASLB Kembs) dreamed of doing as well this year among the minimal. She actually won three new medals at the end of the French youth championships which ended this Sunday at the Alsace Regional Sports Center in Mulhouse. But they are not all of the same metal. She won gold in women’s doubles (with Manon Heitzmann/ES2B), silver in mixed doubles (with Lenny Hubert) and bronze in singles. Enough for his happiness. “Three medals, while I am minimal 1^re year is very good. I am especially very happy with the victory in women’s doubles. It was complicated, but we avoided a third set, ”said the 13-year-old teenager. “I’ve got seven medals in three appearances and I’m still going to do several young French championships! »

“I didn’t think it would come to this”

A little further, Manon Heitzmann had trouble finding a smile. Delighted to have won with Élisa in women’s doubles, she did not hide her disappointment after her defeat in the singles final. ” I was stressed. And then my opponent’s coach spent his time staring at me and shouting every time his player scored a point. It distracted me, ”lamented the young Colmarienne. “I still won a title of champion of France, the first, I’m not going to complain. »

A third Alsatian is also on the top step of the podium: Léana Laurent (ASLB Kembs) beat Margaux Lasis (Red Star Mulhouse) in singles in the cadet category. “I did not think it would come to this,” jubilant the 15-year-old Mulhouse. “I said that my goal was to win in this draw, because I am first and foremost a singles player, but I was absolutely not sure of getting there! I played thoroughly, without stress”, she confided a few minutes after her victory, still surprised by her result. “I know Margaux very well. This is my friend. But on a field, it is an opponent like any other. I hugged her after the game. She fought well. Me too. I may have managed the rhythm of the exchanges better. In the end, I won because she made mistakes. »

Margaux Lasis, precisely, had still not recovered from her disappointment when it came time to get her silver medal. “I wasn’t very good in the first set. I was stressed, I had trouble concentrating. I recovered in the second. I led at the start of the third, I was good until the change of sides. And then I lost five points in a row, I started to make mistakes and Léana took over… Despite everything, I had a good run”, consoled the badminton player from Antony, in the Paris region. . “I will do better next year!” »

“I was under a lot of pressure”

The three other Alsatians who managed to reach the final, all in the junior category, lost their matches. Malya Hoareau (ASPTT Strasbourg) lost in singles. “I’m very disappointed,” said the original Lyonnaise, also bronze medalist in women’s doubles (with Camille Pognante / RSM). “Everyone expected me to win. I had a lot of pressure and I did not manage to play as I normally do, ”continued the one who dreams of quickly integrating the top 100 in the world. “I’m going to play several international tournaments in the near future, in Austria and then in Lithuania, and I hope to win! »

Lilou Schaffner (RSM) from Mulhouse was very satisfied with her silver medals in women’s doubles (with Marie Césari) and bronze in mixed doubles (with Erwann Hamel). “My priority was the women’s doubles. With Marie, we beat the No. 1 seeds in the semi-finals and we were really happy to be in the final. We played well, but our opponents played even better. We would have preferred gold, but frankly, we’re not really disappointed! »

Camille Pognante (RSM), she will quickly turn the page on these young French championships. Because even if she reached the podium twice, on the second step in mixed doubles (with Arthur Wakhevitsch) and on the third in women’s doubles, she aspired to do better. “With Arthur, we knew it would be very complicated. I did the job, but it wasn’t enough, ”she summed up soberly. “The hardest thing to accept, anyway, is the defeat in the semi-finals in women’s doubles, because with Malya, we were aiming for gold…”

If the Alsatians took center stage, the Alsatians, on the other hand, remained very discreet. Timéo Bourgin (ASPTT Strasbourg) is the only one to have won a medal, bronze, in single cadets. Phew, honor is safe!