Just over five months before the Tokyo Paralympic Games (August 24 to September 5), Stéphane Molliens finds himself in forced rest, at his home in Montpellier. The member of Moulins-lès-Metz Handisport suffers from a cracking of a tendon in the elbow, which has prevented him from training for five weeks already. “And there is still for a month and a half,” blows the Mosellan of 46 years, who will put an end to his career after Japan.
“It is not the best to prepare to prepare for the Games”, plague the gold medalist in the team event in Rio in 2016. With the appropriate care, the Moulinois hopes to be able to resume competition during the championships of France, scheduled at the Saint-Symphorien complex in Metz, from May 22 to 24. “It would be a big deal for everyone if I didn’t have to participate”, fears the Lorrainer.
For the moment, no training is therefore planned in Déols, (Indre), at his coach’s, nor at the Handball house in Créteil, which the French internationals attend in training. “At the moment, I only work physically, with very adapted exercises, with my physical trainer. We do sessions every day, but that’s not ideal either. We avoid all gestures which, at one point, could be painful, ”explains Stéphane Molliens, whose last appearance in competition dates back to November 2019.“ It was the Dutch Open, where I had won in singles. and by team. It’s a very good memory, but it’s been a long, long time ago… ”
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“To play the game well, you have to be patient”
This is why he is eager to turn the page of this painful episode in order to relaunch in Metz, then during the Opens in Slovenia, Slovakia and Spain, in June. So many appointments to allow him to garner matches and pace with a view to the Tokyo Games, “if all goes well in terms of rehabilitation”.
The Moulinois is engaged in a time trial. “At the same time, you shouldn’t pedal too fast, either, because I really don’t want to fall,” smiles Stéphane Molliens, who keeps morale high in all circumstances. “I really want it to heal very well because, beyond the sporting aspect, the arms, I need them in everyday life. Currently, it is not a problem. But to play the game well, you have to be patient. The recovery will be gradual, but what is certain is that I will be hungry to play! “
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