VIDEO. In Sarthe, a professional table tennis player returns to his family to revive a small table tennis club

It’s the story of a return to basics like no other. While leading an international career as a professional table tennis player, Damien Provost left everything to return and settle near his ailing father to change the dimension of the table tennis club Vibray, in the countryside of Sarthoise.

He could have continued his sports career at a high level, but he made the choice from the heart. At 37 years old, Damien Provost, bronze medalist at the 2021 French Senior Table Tennis Championships, set himself a slightly crazy challenge: to return to his homeland, close to his family, to develop the ping club Vibray (Sarthe) towards a high level.

Recently, Patrick Provost, the athlete’s father, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. For Damien Provost, the announcement acted as a trigger. “It started from an idea from my two sons who bet one day and said: You’ll see that Vibray is going to be in the national one day, I hadn’t even noticed!“, he recalls.

15 months after returning to Sarthe, Damien Provost has already won his first major victory: Vibray has just joined the national 3. Amazing for the club even two years ago, when it played in the regional 3, that is four divisions below.

Patrick Provost watched his son transform the structure in a short time. “He gathered other good players around us, trusted the players we had trained, and then there is…” Recruiting solid or promising players to form a men’s team is the strategy of Damien Provost, who has already convinced Armand Phung, ex-international and Pro A player at La Romagna, to come and close the ranks.

“It’s just the beginning because it’s complicated anyway, we started from nothing, there are things to put in place, we’re going to play international matches, I’m a dreamer and ambitious, I want more, even much more than that.. .” dreams the professional player.

An ambition that matches his love for his father, who two years ago discovered he had Parkinson’s neurodegenerative disease. For thirty years, Patrick Provost has been a volunteer for the ping pong club, and he continues to play his favorite sport. “He always loved ping pong, but he took refuge in it even more, it was a kind of mental therapy and really it became even more important to him.” says the son.

I want Dad, with everything he’s done for everyone, to be recognized, that’s what motivated things

Damien Provost

Professional table tennis player

Damien Provost just has to continue writing the beautiful history of Vibray table tennis club, together with his father and all the players.

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