Paris Olympic Games: priority for gold for Maxime Pauty!

“ I dreamed of becoming Zorro or d’Artagnan », smiles Maxime Pauty. And it is clear that he was quite successful! Because the little boy registered at the age of 5 at the Mousquetaires club in Issy-les-Moulineaux not only emerged victorious in the foil World Cup in Saint Petersburg in 2018, but also became European team champion and World team vice-champion in 2019, then Olympic team champion in Tokyo in 2021.

Athlete of the Joinville Battalion as a high-level athlete of Defense – gendarmerie (SHND-G), in 2019 he won silver at the World Military Games in Wuhan as an individual and team.

Officially qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, he has a few weeks left to prepare for the deadline…

A complete workout

At the heart of the Christian d’Oriola complex, three weapons rooms follow one another, one for each type of blade: foil, epee, and sabre. It is here that the approximately 70 members of the French fencing center of the National Institute of Sport, Expertise and Performance (INSEP) train daily to practice their discipline.

For his part, the chief marshal (MDC) Pauty wields the foil, the weapon of choice of his Isse club. “ I found out much later that there were three weapons », jokes the athlete, while his teammates’ foils collide and one of the coaches of the women’s team guides a group session.

“ The Fluret East a weapon thrusting, where we touch with the pointexplains the athlete, unlike the sword, waist weapon, where we gouche with the cutting edge. It is governed by conventions, and it’s therefore an arbiter which gives point. The idea is to attack first. The rule in foil is that attack on everyonejbear reason, unless it is parried and the riposte hits. So the goal is either to attack first to touchor to make a riposte parade to have priority. » Knowing that in foil, the shooters touch the entire metal part which corresponds to the bust.

The athlete’s training is intense, two hours in the morning and the same amount in the afternoon, almost daily. “ VSThis week, I only have Wednesday afternoon in recovery. Sometimes we even train on Saturdays. And we have Also a lot of competitions abroad, we travel a lot. We returned from three weeks in Asia, in Hong Kong Then Shanghai, SO we must adaptsr for training », Continues Maxime.

The preparation consists of several exercises. There’s assault, where teammates compete against each other during fencing matches. Everyone follows individual lessons. “ LThe fencing master makes us work on actions, blows, to repeat, to work on our technique. » Added to this is the work with the physical trainer, as well as mental preparation. MDC Pauty has in fact been working with a sports psychologist for six years.

“We are a D-day sport“

A particularity of fencing lies in the management of effort. It is not a sport of physical performance, that is to say that the fencer does not seek a peak of form like a marathon runner might do.

“ On is a D-day sport, on is a lot about feeling And the mental. LThe goal in fencing is to be physically well, mentally well, and during the day games have a lot of letting go, because there are lots of things thatwe born can’t control : his opponent, his feelings, ou arbitration which is very important in fencing. Depending on the referee, he canty have a different interpretation of actions, and therefore he you have to adapt. »

Win as a team and individually in your city

Two ambitions for Maxime as the Paris Games approach: repeat the performance in Tokyo, where he was Olympic champion as a team with his comrades, and win as an individual since he is also competing in this event.

“ VSIt would be a great pleasure to be able to win a gold medal with my friends. […] If I come back with two gold medals from the Paris games, I will be happy. » That’s what we wish him!

Experiencing the Games in Paris is of course a great honor and pride for him, but not only that.

“ JI grew up in Issy-les-Moulineaux so not far from Paris. Duringfour years ago, I passed in front of the Grand Palais and told myself that I would likes shoot there. We don’t practiceyou have a very publicized sport, so take part in such a great competition in this location, dyears my city, it’s above all a great pleasure! »

Another significant aspect, which is a game-changer for Maxime and his teammates, is the increased media appeal surrounding the athletes during this period. The foilists form an experienced team, know how to manage this parameter, but it is also important for them to isolate themselves as the deadline approaches, which is why they regularly go abroad.

“ However, it is a positive pressurehe assures. What changes the most about experiencing the Olympics in Paris is sharing it with my family and loved ones. »

Maxime, child of Issy-les-Moulineaux and gendarme in the Joinville Battalion

When entering the Joinville Battalion, the new SHND asked to join the gendarmerie, knowing the link between Issy-les-Moulineaux, its town, and the institution. “ It was important for me to maintain it », he confirms. Quartermaster at the time of his first contract, he moved up the ranks after his Olympic title, and hopes to continue his progress. “ That will mean I was good! », smiles the young man again.

Since signing his contract in March 2020, the support of the gendarmerie has been experienced for him on a daily basis, in a concrete way. “ Iwas able to cross theduring the period of COVID knowing that I had enough to fill my fridge, he adds, suddenly more serious. JI experienced a lot of precariousness in my early daysts high-level athlete, what means that we can sometimes arrive at training with other problems in mind. HASToday, when I’m training or competing, I only haveto think about fencing, And this is largely thanks to the support of the gendarmerie. It isan honor for meenter the police, and more generally the French army, because our values and those of high-level sport are quite close. »