Handball: Wesley Pardin, added value in the Usam Nîmes cage

Wesley Pardin portait les couleurs d’Aix la saison dernière. ''Je reste dans le Sud, et je rejoins l’Usam, un club historique du championnat.'' MIDI LIBRE – ALEXIS BETHUNE

International A, the former Aix goalkeeper, sixteen seasons in D1, discovered at 18, is a real reinforcement for Usam Nîmes in the quest for Europe.

Dreadlocks carefully styled, the new goalkeeper of Usam Nîmes Wesley Pardin, 34, struck a pose on Friday at midday. Like his teammates, he indulged in the traditional pre-season photo shoot (media, NHL).

A less busy day in the heart of a six-week preparation, started last Monday? ''No, not really, replies, lunch just eaten, the former doorman of Aix. We had two training sessions in the morning and, this afternoon, we have a handball session. Not to mention the two still on the program tomorrow (Saturday).''

He discovers the preparation ''made in David Degouy''

L’international French A (18 selections) in sixteen seasons of D1, discovered at 18 with Toulouse, is surprised by the intensity of the preparation “made in David Degouy& ;rdquo;, the new coach: ''When I started, I was 101 kg. Four days later, I made 98 (sic).I'm not used to preparing like that. There, it’s still heavy, but I know that it will give me pep for the championship. And that’s perhaps precisely what Usam needed. Otherwise, fatigue-wise, if you call “JJ”, you'll see (laughs).''

“JJ” : Jean-Jacques Acquevillo, 35 years old, childhood friend. Also born in Lamentin, Martinique. Reunion between the two and memories of hot derbies, at the age of 11. ''Let's say that, for us, it was a little complicated for the opponent, says, hilariously, the left rear of Nîmes. Wesley comes from SCL Lamentinois and I come from FC Palmiste, two “hot” neighborhoods. We also played together in the Martinique national team, at the Interpoles. This was the only time, because afterwards he went to Toulouse.''

''The rubber man'', the nickname given to him by his coach at Pôle France

At 16, in fact, Wesley Pardin left the island, heading for the Metropolis and Haute-Garonne, at Pôle France. ''At 17 and a half, I played my first match with the 1st team and at 18 years old, I sign pro'', underlines the one that Frédéric Perez, head of the Pôle France in Toulouse, nicknamed ''the rubber man''  and explained, to La Dépêche du Midi : ''He has a lot of amplitude, he is dynamic, explosive, physically very strong.''

Having passed through the French youth teams – ''I am a child of the Federation'' – the neo-Nîmes also attended the A, ten years of a career (2013-2023) up and down, marked by this rupture of the cruciate ligaments of the right knee, at the 2021 World Cup in Egypt, while ’ he holds: ''This is both my best and worst year.''

''Seduced by the project''

At Starligue level, the 1.98m goalkeeper, 8th in number of saves in 2023-2024, remains a sure bet with 349 matches and 6.65 saves on average. ''He's an experienced goalkeeper, his reputation speaks for him, recalls Acquevillo. I think he will bring us a lot. It's clear that he wants to, he's someone who has a lot of connections in the club where he is. If he feels good, he stays.''

His nine seasons in Toulouse and his seven in Aix prove it. In Gard, Pardin is committed until 2027: '’I have had offers for the job ;a foreigner but I favored the family (he has 12-year-old triplets, Editor's note). I was also seduced by the Usam project, everything matched. And the fact that the goalkeepers in Nîmes have always been very good counted in my decision. I tell myself that I don't see why I wouldn't be good. I really like the mentality here, a bit like mine, we don't give up, we're aggressive.''< /p>

''Wesley, he’s a real fake calm'', supports Acquevillo. And Pardin warns: ''Off the field, I'm a cream but on the field, sometimes, I can be detestable…& #39;'

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