Paris 2024 Paralympics | They will give us chills: Dimitri Pavadé

Dimitri Pavadé was born in Port, Réunion, in August 1989, and grew up in a modest family. Sport and competition soon became his driving forces, and he took up several activities before settling on Para athletics.

On Christmas Eve 2007, at the port of his home town where he worked as a docker, Dimitri Pavadé suffered a serious accident at work, being hit by a forklift truck. "When I saw my leg at the moment of the accident, I knew I was going to lose it", he explained later. But Dimitri, who had just had the tibia of his right leg amputated, set himself a goal: to walk again, without anyone's help.

First Paralympic medal

It took him many long months of rehabilitation, but he succeeded. Once he was back on his feet, Dimitri Pavadé decided to go back to school and then leave for mainland France to train as an orthopaedic technician. This was in the Dordogne, where he discovered Para athletics, and threw himself into it with a passion, learning to run and jump with a blade. The results followed, rapidly bringing him closer to the highest level, and in 2017 he was selected for the Jeux de la Francophonie in Abidjan (Ivory Coast) where he won his first international gold medals in the 200 m and long jump.

The following year, Dimitri Pavadé joined the great French Paralympic team, and never left. European Championships in 2018 (4th in the 100 m, 5th in the 200 m, and 9th in the long jump) then the 2019 World Championships in Dubai (silver medal in the long jump, with a jump measured at 7.25 m) ans his first Paralympic Games, in Tokyo 2020: 7.39 m in the long jump and another silver medal.

Super ambassador for the Flame

The native of Réunion is not content with his performances on the track or the vault. "I know that I am a source of inspiration for some people, he says. I want to continue to convey the message that nothing is out of reach, even when faced with a disability."

Everyone can be the master of their own destiny, and Dimitri Pavadé's is leading him to Paris 2024. A year ago, he had the privilege of being chosen as one of the 4 "super ambassadors" for the Olympic and Paralympic torch relays. Laure Manaudou and Florent Manaudou for the Olympians, him and Mona Francis for the Paralympians. Yet another opportunity to set an example and lead the way. Before, of course, returning to the track and the vault at the Stade de France.