Table tennis: Nîmes in the European Cup!

La Brésilienne Bruna Takahaschi devrait amener un vrai plus à Nîmes-Montpellier.

L’Italienne Giorgia Piccolin est l’autre recrue de poids de l’Alliance.

En plus de play-off visés en D1, l’Alliance s’invitera sur la scène continentale la saison prochaine.

''I've been on vacation for five months… '' A big smile lighting up his face, Florian Habuda, coach of the Nîmes-Montpellier women's team in Pro A, rarely has been so relaxed. And for good reason. After six seasons ''to hold on to the last match'', recalls Alain Lauferon, the& ;rsquo;one of the presidents of the Alliance with Claire Chevassus, the Nîmoises ensured their retention in the Ping Elite from February.

Alain Lauferon : ''The project and the ambition that goes with it are gradually convincing the players& #39;'

The cause often attracts the consequence, ''this also allowed us to have more time for recruitment'', underlines the Gard leader. More time, but not only… ''The project and the ambition that goes with it are gradually convincing the players, continues Alain Lauferon. These are also the infrastructures that will guide the sustainability of what we are currently building.''

And there, there is still a little missing… ''We should have inaugurated it there, in 2024'', slides, in substance, Stéphane Lebrun, sports director of the ANMTT (Alliance Nïmes-Montpellier table tennis), discussing the project to extend the Saint-Stanislas hall, in Nîmes.

The Nîmes girls forced to go into exile in Montpellier

''We were told that for 2026, perhaps, the Nîmes president is slightly annoyed, extending the season. The new feature of this season is that the Pro A girls' team will go to train in Montpellier (Achille hall, six hours a day), except on Thursdays when they will share the hall in Saint-Stanislas. Contrary to the projection we had made, we are trying to find intelligent solutions.''

So while the logistics will have to wait a little, there will be no delay in recruitment. ''Bruna, on paper, is the best player we will ever have'', indicates coach Florian Habuda of Brazilian recruit Bruna Takahaschi, 24 years old, French n° 2 and top 40 in the world (see below).

The boys too, maybe in the Champions League

In Pro A, the Nîmes will approach the ambition exercise over their shoulders. ''The objective is to be within 6 (play-off) and get closer to the title, in addition to playing the European Cup (Europe trophy, 3rd level or even, if qualifying, the ETTU Cup, 2nd)'', defines Habuda, enthusiastic.

''The European Cup has always been a distant goal, confirms Lauferon . It is part of an area of ​​development for the Alliance to participate in the European Cup, whether girls or boys'' < /em>Voted…