D-200 JO PARIS 2024. Our regionals who will be on the podium: everyone is talking about the Lebrun brothers and there is reason

Les Montpelliérains Alexis et Félix Lebrun espèrent bien apporter une médaille à la France. EPA – KIM LUDBROOK

200 days before the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in France (July 26-August 11), here are the predictions from the Midi Libre sports department. A non-exhaustive list of regional athletes which takes into account past and current results but also our favorites. The Lebrun brothers, true stars of table tennis, are obviously aiming for a medal.

Judging by the increasing number of cameras and journalists in the small Achille-Nebout room in Montpellier since the start of the Pro A season, Alexis and Félix Lebrun will undoubtedly be the leaders of French Olympic sport during these Games.

"If we can participate in the promotion of table tennis, it's with pleasure", Félix had mischievously slipped in during a match of the 1980s. Alliance Nîmes-Montpellier, team where the two brothers have known everything.

An exceptional year for brothers

Remaining at the ANMTT after the rise to the French first division, the Lebruns remain in a year 2023 of all records. The eldest Alexis (20 years old) was the best in his debut by winning the final of the French championships against his little brother Félix (17 years old).

But the youngest then took the upper hand by winning the European Games in singles then winning his first WTT in Antalya to become the third youngest player to enter the world top 10.

Also read: Félix and Alexis Lebrun fail by a whisker in the semi-finals of the world circuit in Doha

And while the two remain in a doubles semi-final during the WTT Finals in Qatar, Félix (8th in the world) and Alexis Lebrun (23rd) are obvious candidates for an Olympic medal for these Games in the house.