20yo French ping pong star claims singles & doubles titles, hits world No.2, breaks 33-year national record, with steady support from his partner and family.
Men’s singles champion! Men’s doubles champion! World No. 2!
Twenty-year-old player “Little” Lebrun has shattered a 33-year-old record in French table tennis. When the news broke, many held their breath—no one had dared to imagine that such a young newcomer would break this record.
Earlier, the public had viewed Little LeBron as nothing more than a dark horse who had popped up by chance in the competition. When the cameras captured Little LeBron’s back as he accepted his award, everyone was curious about the identity of the smiling girl standing behind him, and speculation ran rampant without any concrete answers.
Half a year ago, someone snapped a photo of Little Lebrun at a wedding in Puerto Rico. People followed the lead to try to uncover his relationship status, but all speculation came to nothing at the time. It wasn’t until June 1 of this year, when Little Lebrun publicly shared a photo of the two of them,and everyone learned that the girl was the fourth daughter of the Díaz family—a professional table tennis player who has won awards at international competitions herself—and not, as outsiders had speculated, a non-celebrity seeking to ride his coattails.
On
the court, Xiao Lebrun played decisively and with tenacity. In the semifinals, he shut out Dako, never giving his opponent a chance to stage a comeback. In the final against Tomokazu Harimoto, he clinched the crucial points and steadied himself under pressure to secure the victory.
After winning the championship, Young Lebrun did not let his success go to his head. He publicly acknowledged that there is still a gap between himself and top player Wang Chuqin, and his goal of reaching the world No. 1 ranking remains clear and well-defined.
Off the court, Little Lebrun is straightforward and unpretentious, and his family has always clearly expressed their support for him. His older brother, Big Lebrun, has also been in a stable relationship with an older woman, and the entire family interacts with mutual understanding, never engaging in pointless arguments or conflicts.
Today, this young athlete has indeed achieved success in both his career and personal life: his competitive form is steadily improving, and he has a partner by his side who steadfastly supports him.
Many longtime fans who watched the matches have remarked that it’s truly rare for a young athlete to be able to focus entirely on his goals, achieve solid results on the court, enjoy an open and stable romantic relationship, and have the full support of his entire family behind him. Many of his fellow players have also been getting together lately to discuss his recent progress.
