2021 Paralympic Games: Makunda, or the French disabled sports treasure
Trésor Gauthier Makunda (d) his guide Lucas Mathonat.
© Florent Pervillé / Handisport athletics
Text by: Farid Achache Follow
5 mins
Visually impaired, the Trésor sprinter Gauthier Makunda will line up for 400 meters in Tokyo with his guide Lucas Mathonat in the T11 category on August 28 for the heats and on August 29 for the final.
In Japan, he will participate in his fourth Paralympic Games, having won silver in the 100m in Athens in 2004, bronze in the 100m and with the 4X100m relay in Beijing in 2008 and over 400m in London in 2012. Several times titled during his long career, he dreams of gold in Tokyo.
Advertising
Read more
From our special correspondent in Tokyo,
The Paralympic spirit is as many unique stories as it is about athletes.
Like that of Trésor Gauthier Makunda, 37, who was born in Kinshasa in the DRC and who wears the colors of France.
In Tokyo,
the man will experience his fourth Paralympic Games, a challenge that "
thrills
" him.
As an old man, he might feel in his element, but he is not.
The challenge is immense: that of shining on the track and performing once again.
And also to prove to the whole world that disability is anything but an obstacle to building one's dreams.
Athens, Beijing and London.
Three names of cities that he remembers for having made the choice of a lifetime.
Tokyo, the most important meeting
This time, it is in Tokyo, in the Land of the Rising Sun that the 37-year-old wants to make history by obtaining this first Paralympic gold medal. “
I struggled so hard to qualify that I feel like this will be the most important city and Games for me. It is a great pleasure to be here. The conditions are special, but the Japanese have done everything to ensure that the athletes are as peaceful as possible,
”he said.
However, like the
other participants
, he will have to do without the audience.
“
This is what will be the most complicated.
In London, there were 80,000 people in the stadium,
”said the sports enthusiast who went from 100m to 400m.
“
Not having the supporters is hard!
I had promised my six-year-old son to take him.
But we will do everything to succeed in obtaining the gold
”.
A life that pleases him
Trésor Gauthier Makunda "
listens
" to his body and it is his "
secret
" to last.
Life without sport
is unthinkable. Since the discovery of athletics at the age of 14, he has been chasing the happiness of “
feeling good
”, of “
feeling the wind
” in his ears. “
Man has always had two fantasies: flying and running fast. I was the one to run fast. I think that before walking, I learned to run,
”he says. “
People will realize that we are all real champions,
” adds this full-fledged high level athlete, fan of sprinter and jumper Carl Lewis. The American was a great source of inspiration.
Sport remains a way of life for Trésor Gauthier Makunda, laden with rewards.
“
Sport could be a cure for depression.
It's a way to escape.
A source of energy.
It allowed me to go beyond my handicap of my limits.
It is almost a drug without wanting to insult the medicine.
It is not insignificant if today we are talking about healthy sport
, ”argues the Congolese naturalized French in 2004. At Trésor Gauthier Makunda, we never feel sorry for his fate.
We run forward.
Newsletter
Receive all international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
Paralympic Games 2021
our selection
Japan
On the same subject
Reporting
The Paralympic Games will also take place against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic
Paralympic Games 2021: let the party begin anyway!
Reporting
At the Paralympic Games, difference is strength