Throughout the weekend, the Palio de Boulazac was the scene of the French badminton championships, crowning the best tricolors.
The Palio de Boulazac, privileged place of a fight of two brothers for a title. Sunday, in the final of the French championships, Toma Junior (23 years old) faced Christo (19 years old). The two Popov brothers met for the first time in an official match. Accustomed to playing each other every day in training under the leadership of their father, absent from the coach’s chair, the two delivered a very good show. Each in his register. In power for the eldest, in vivacity for the youngest. The victory goes to the youngest, already titled in 2020. “I’m obviously super happy to win a second title”, rejoices Christo Popov. “It’s important, there aren’t many people at my age who already have two. This validates the fact that we work well. I would have preferred not to play against my brother. Officially, there is a winner but we won as a team. » The bronze medals go to Brice Leverdez (Le Volant Airois) and Thomas Rouxel (BC Chambly Oise).
Second title for Qi Xuefei
Among the ladies, Qi Xuefei (Bad’Club de Rostrenen) recovers her property with her first title won in 2020. The Breton dominated the defending champion, Yaëlle Hoyaux (Badminton Club Fos) in the final. The two players know each other well. The match quickly turns to QI Xuefei’s advantage. Always in the lead, the latter dictates the exchanges preventing Yaëlle from setting her pace. In difficulty with his knee since the Tokyo Games, QI Xuefei returns to the field with a victory. « I felt good about this tournament. I was making my return to competition and my objective was to give the best of myself. I’m happy to win my second title.”, savors the new champion of France. Bronze goes to Léonice Huet (BC Chambly Oise) and Rosy Pancasari (ASPTT Strasbourg).
The Popov brothers confirm in double
On the doubles side, Toma Junior and Christo Popov confirmed their domination by going for the gold. Silver went to Brice Leverdez and Lucas Corvée (Le Volant Airois/Issy-les-Moulineaux Badminton Club), and bronze to the duos Thom Gicquel/Erwin Kehlhoffner (Red Star Mulhouse/Badminton Club Fos) and Fabien Delrue/William Villeger ( Union Sport. Ezanville-Ecouen/ASPTT Strasbourg). Among the ladies, gold is for Anne Tran and Margot Lambert (Racing Club de France/Red Star Mulhouse). In the final, they dominated Delphine Delrue and Sharone Bauer (Union Sport. Ezanville-Ecouen / ASPTT Strasbourg). The bronze is for Camille Pognante and Malya Hoareau (Red Star Mulhouse / ASPTT Strasbourg), but also Téa Margueritte and Anna Tatranova (Badminton Val De Reuil Louviers / Badminton Val De Morteau). Finally, in mixed doubles, Delphine Delrue and Thom Gicquel (Union Sport. Ezanville-Ecouen / Red Star Mulhouse) triumph. The duo beat Héloïse Le Moulec and Jordan Corvée (VGA Stella Saint Maur/Union Sportive Talence) in the final. The bronze is for Vimala Heriau and Fabien Delrue (Racing Club de France / Union Sport. Ezanville-Ecouen), but also Yaëlle Hoyaux and Lucas Corvée (Badminton Club de Fos / Issy les Moulineaux Badminton Club).
