My Olympic Dream

Considering the injuries I’ve had, considering the challenges I’ve faced over the last 18 or so months, considering my age… is it crazy for me to be aiming for the Olympics this year?

Is it even crazier of me to share that aim with you all here, so publicly, knowing that I may not even qualify? Am I just setting myself up for embarrassment if I fail?

The last year has been a wild ride of constant training, tournaments, matches. I’ve been grinding hard, pushing myself to the max to stay in top form. 

And not just physically. Mentally, too. The fear of getting injured is always there, lurking in the back of my mind. And being far from family? Man, that’s tough. I miss them like crazy. 

At this stage of my career, I believe consistency is more important than anything. That’s why over the last months, I’ve made the choice to play every single week. That decision has brought me to play in nine tournaments in the last three months alone: New Zealand, Australia, Rotterdam, Montpellier, Dubai, Qatar, California, Miami… And now Estoril, Portugal, where I’m writing this now. The jetlag is real. 😩

In addition to getting back on the court, I’ve had to get back into the rhythm of winning and losing. Relearn to normalize the ups and downs and move on to the next one without staying stuck on losses or setbacks. Stay consistent in my training even when I just want to drop everything and sleep for three days. Trust in my abilities as an athlete. And stay strong in moments when I feel most vulnerable: when I miss my wife, when I miss my daughter, when I miss home.

And then there’s the pressure. The pressure of qualifying for one of four French spots. The pressure of knowing this might be my last shot at making it to the Olympics. The pressure of performing on the world stage, with everyone watching. Oh, and did I mention the jetlag?

Anyway, that’s where I’m at now, physically, mentally, professionally, and personally.

So… why am I sharing my Olympic dream here? It’s not a question of bravado, or wishful thinking, or even publicly challenging myself. Far from it! For me, it’s a question of being a living example of something I value: dreaming big. Dreaming without fear. Daring to dream even if others think you’re crazy. Even if it doesn’t work out. 

And hey, if Paris doesn’t happen, there’s always LA in 2028, right? 😏

Until next time,
Gaël