Félix and Alexis Lebrun: The teenage French brothers ready to conquer the table tennis world, 500 days out from Paris 2024

The Olympic Games Paris 2024 are 500 days away – and French fans may well have something to cheer in table tennis when the Olympic tournament rolls around.

That's thanks to the incredible rise to the top of two of French sport's finest young hopefuls: brothers Félix and Alexis Lebrun, still aged just 16 and 19 respectively.

From both being ranked over 750th in the world to begin 2022, the teenagers are now each in the world's top 50, and both have proven at recent World Table Tennis tournaments that they are more than capable of making deep runs on the big stage.

Indeed, Félix – the younger of the two – has even reached the round of 16 at the Singapore Smash, the top level of events on the WTT annual circuit.

"The goal is to progress as much as possible to try to have a chance of a medal at Paris 2024," Alexis offered recently in an exclusive interview with Olympics.com – something his brother went further with.

Félix, who will still only be 17 next summer when the Olympic Games roll around, countered: "My biggest goal is an Olympic title, whether in Paris or after."

• How to qualify for table tennis at Paris 2024: the Olympics qualification system explained

Lebrun brothers: The next challenge to China's table tennis supremacy?

The People's Republic of China has dominated table tennis at the top level for many years, with the odd challenge from Japan and Germany.

Strong young men's players have also emerged from Chinese Taipei, Brazil, and Slovenia in recent times – and the Lebruns want to add France to that list.

When told that a number of Chinese players have marked out him and his brother as two of the biggest threats for Paris 2024, older brother Alexis said it was validation for the siblings' hard work.

"It proves that we've been able to compete with them at certain moments. Obviously, it's a pleasure and we hope that their fears will prove to be true."

His younger brother agrees. "You feel that the more you play them, the tighter it is (between us) and you feel that they too see that we are not very far away," Felix responded.

"It makes us want to progress even more."

Félix has even faced the sport's greatest of all time, Ma Long, and took a set off the Dragon at last year's WTT Star Contender Budapest.

"I was super happy to be able to play against him, as he's starting to be a bit older I wanted to play him before he stopped," the 16-year-old said.

"I saw interviews where he said that at my age, he was not playing as well as me, and it's super pleasant that he said that."

Alexis and Félix Lebrun: Table tennis runs in the family

Both brothers were inculcated in the sport from a very young age. No surprise when you consider their table tennis relatives.

Their father Stéphane was ranked as high as the French national number 7, while the boys' uncle Christophe Legoût represented France at three Olympic Games (1996, 2000, 2008).

"I think it had a lot of influence (growing up)," Alexis confirmed. "We only talk about ping (table tennis), we always think about it because we are immersed in it all the time.

"So there are quite a few bad moments where we exchange opinions strongly too, without necessarily wanting to. But in the end, when we are together, we discuss what we are passionate about. I think it's just a bonus."

While Alexis has suffered from injuries during his career that have prevented them from training with each other more often, the siblings said they do push each other to improve and take pride in each other's progress.

Alexis vs Félix Lebrun: Brotherly support

Alexis beat Félix in the semi-finals at the last national championships, and remains unbeaten in family meetings.

"For now, I haven't lost but it's getting harder and harder," the older brother admitted. "When we were smaller, I still had the advantage of age and body, but now, he's playing better and better so it's going to be more and more complicated.

"Given his level, if I ever manage not to lose against him, it's because I'll play very well so I'll be very happy."

It's easy to forget just how young the brothers are, especially given the maturity with which both speak during the interview.

Félix juggles playing international table tennis with his French baccalaureate studies in high school, which he admitted "is complicated, because I'm not at home often".

Whatever he's doing, it is paying off – and on the current trajectory, both brothers could break out into the wider French sporting consciousness next year at their home Olympic Games.