The ‘Rivas method’ has taken Carolina Marn to the top -Olympic champion, three-time world champion and five-time European champion- and now it is the French Badminton Federation that aspires to grow hand in hand with Fernando Rivaswhat combine his new position in the neighboring country with the training of the Huelva. The Spanish coach will be in France every two weeks, particularly in the INSEP badminton division.
Two years from the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Gamesof those who are hosts, the French Federation has signed the Spanish genius introduced years ago, among many other things, data analysis in training and a scientific approach in spanish badminton when in Spain few sports used it. Innovative as they come, the coach from Granada has earned the respect of world sport and international badminton in particular by managing to bring down the Asian empire together with Carolina Marn. Now, in his high-level strategy with an ambitious approach to maximum performance, our neighbors bet on him and his method to achieve excellence.
“I am very happy to join the FFBaD, which is a reference in Europe with a real development strategy. The pool of very good players in France is very interesting. I come with my high-level experience. I will provide a framework with a method that has already demonstrated its effectiveness”, acknowledged Rivas, who disassociated himself from the Spanish Federation in January.
The Spanish, who act as Senior manager of the French FederationI explain the reasons that have led him to sign for French badminton. “Principally, the desire to apply a methodology that has worked to a structure. And above all, be able to have a six-year goal, not just Paris but Los Angeles 2028 and have plenty of professionals to work with. 25 people are going to work together to develop a common project. It has been very motivating at a time of need for change after 17 years in the Spanish Federation”, he explained at the press conference for the presentation.
Fernando Rivas, during the presentation of the French Badminton Federation.
France, a power at the junior level
Rivas, who recognized that the French badminton organization is very different from the national one, explained that his goal is to get to know the players and see what they are capable of doing. “France is a power at junior level and we want to develop that leveland not only to a participation in the Olympic Games, the goal will be to get good results in any big event“, he explained. His contract, for the moment, is until August 31, 2024, after the Paris Games, although he will work towards Los Angeles 2028.
France has never entered the Olympic medal table for this sportwhich historically only 12 countries have accessed, with China as the clear dominator with 20 titles won out of 39 disputed.
In France there is a greater culture of badminton than in Spain and I think that with my grain of sand we can make the system much more efficient and hopefully that translates into medals
“When I started working with Carolina, everything had to be done and she was able to adapt to what she proposed. Now we are the coaches who have to see how to adapt the method to the players. It is something that we are going to co-create with the coaches who work with athletes on a daily basis. In France there is a greater culture of badminton than in Spainthere are more trainers and I think with my grain of sand we can make the system much more efficient and hopefully that translates into better results and medals in the future“, I confess.
Carolina could return for the European in Madrid
As for Carolina Marn’s return to the slopes, after the serious knee injury that prevented her from competing in the Tokyo Olympics last summer, Rivas publicly acknowledged a date for the first time. “The idea is that if she is healthy, Carolina starts competing in April after a stay in Sierra Nevada and what could be better than the European Championship in Madrid”, he admitted.
The idea is that if she is healthy, Carolina will start competing in April and what better than in the European Championships in Madrid
The Andalusian technician explained How will you reconcile your new position and continue training Carolina. “My contract is part-time, I’ll do a lot of work from Spain but when I’m not there I’ll be taken care of perfectly and it won’t be a problem. Carolina will not lack training and that was important to me when accepting this position“, I recognized.
“This strong election of the FFBaD confirms a true ambition in sports performance at the highest international level. The high performance is based on several points that the new team will develop. The culture of performance associated with the culture of badminton will allow us to take the next steps. These contracts are accompanied by a strong financial investment of the federation to have an impact on the entire chain and give us the best chances,” said Yohan Penel, president of the French Badminton Federation.
In direct line with Thierry Solera former national football and ice sports head coach who joined on March 1, both share the same ambition: take French badminton to the top.
