Fernando Rivas, coach of the Spanish Carolina Marin, notably Olympic champion in 2016 and triple world champion (2014, 2015, 2018), is the new manager of the senior French badminton players. The Spaniard was presented this Wednesday morning at Insep, during a press conference devoted to the new organization of performance within the French Badminton Federation.
“There is a good pool of young players in France”
Fernando Rivas, new head of senior French badminton
Fernando Rivas, doctor of sports science and author of a thesis on the parameters of high performance in badminton, has been linked to the Spanish Badminton Federation since 2004. He will devote himself part-time to French seniors, with a current contract until August 31, 2024, and remains one of the three coaches of the Spanish champion, surrounded by a dedicated staff.
“There is a good pool of young players in France, assure Rivas. I think I can bring my method, which has proven itself with Carolina Marin and the Spanish U15 European champions in 2015, by individualizing the work and developing everyone’s strengths. » Rivas will work directly with the French coaches, Baptiste Carême for the doubles and Maxime Michel for the singles. The French Federation is also looking for a “data analyst” to strengthen this new structure.
The new organization also has a new director of performance with Thierry Soler, until now responsible for the performance division of Insep, after having collaborated for twenty years with the French football federation US, of which he was, among other things, the technical director. national (DTN), then with the Ice Sports Federation (DTN from 2014 to 2016). Thierry Soler takes responsibility for the able-bodied and para-badminton streams.
“The idea is to prepare Paris 2024 as well as possible, and use these Games for Los Angeles 2028”
Jérôme Careil, the national technical director of French badminton
“These two arrivals allow us to have a double external perspective, explains Jérôme Careil, the DTN of bad French. A view from outside badminton, and another from abroad. Our problem for years has been to transform our good results in young people into seniors. Among the able-bodied, where our players are still young, the idea is to prepare Paris 2024 as well as possible, and use these Games for Los Angeles 2028.
The French badminton players will notably compete in a World Tour Masters (Super 100 level) from March 29 to April 3 in Orléans, then the European Championships in Madrid, which has just resumed competition after the withdrawal of the Finns from Vantaa, from March 25 to April 30.
