They are united by the same dream. For months, badistas Toma and Christo Popov have only had one thing in mind: to qualify together for the Paris Olympic Games in 2024. For this, the two French players, of Bulgarian origin, would have to climb into the the top 16 in the world. “We don’t ask ourselves the question. We both want to qualify. It’s more of a team objective than a personal project, assures Toma Popov, the eldest of the family, nicknamed “Tomi” or “Toma junior” to differentiate him from his father. But if, in the end, only one of us goes, that’s the way it is. The other will be in the stands to encourage him.”
An ambition confirmed by the father and trainer of the two badists, Toma Popov. “The goal is to take them both to the Olympics and aim for a podium. They have the ability. If one of them is not qualified…, he smiled while pausing quickly. Toma won’t take it as well because he’s the eldest. Christo says it’ll be fine, but I know that’s not true.” For now, Toma and Christo Popov are respectively 25th and 27th in the world, but can hope to move up the rankings between the start of January and the end of the qualifying period for the Games, on April 30. Until then, they will have ten tournaments to try to win the precious sesame. And they could also qualify in men’s doubles, since they are currently the second best French pair (42nd in the world) behind the Lucas Corvée-Ronan Labar duo (36th).
Badminton, a family affair
Like the brothers Alexis and Félix Lebrun in table tennis, Toma and Christo Popov are paving their way together in their discipline, although individual. “They embody the golden age of French badminton. If we have already had good doubles pairs in France, in singles, the current density is a first,” greets Fernando Rivas, head of the French badminton teams, and former coach of the Spaniard Carolina Marin, Olympic champion in 2016. Behind the locomotive Popov, Arnaud Merklé is in 37th place in the world, and Alex Lanier in 66th place.
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Arriving from Bulgaria in 2004, they have always been immersed in the world of badminton. Their father, Toma Popov, was a Bulgarian champion and then national coach, just like his brother, Mihail. There fall of the USSR in 1991 caused a profound restructuring of Bulgaria, a former Soviet bloc country, and sport, which did not escape this context, saw its budgets reduced. Mihail then goes into exile in France, before being joined by Toma, who takes his wife and children with him. They arrived in Fos-sur-Mer (Bouches-du-Rhône) in 2004. The two young Popovs are 6 and 2 years old.
“We were always going all out from the first session, with dad always behind us, remembers Christo, who, like his brother, has been practicing since the age of 5. Our victories motivated us to continue, and we moved forward without asking too many questions.” “We followed the family path, continues Toma. And one day, when we started winning big titles, we realized that we were beyond what we had hoped for.”
Fos-sur-Mer, the family cocoon
Since then, they have never left Fos-sur-Mer, the town that became their headquarters. “There was a good group of young people in Fos, which allowed them to progress and raise their level. We had everything there, and that’s why we stayed,” explains Toma Popov, sports director of the club. Even today, the two brothers train there and enjoy “this bubble” built around them. “In the evening, when we come home, it’s really our home. We’re with our friends, our family,” notes Christo, happy with this balance. They thus only join Insep or the French team occasionally, generally before national or international competitions.
And for the moment, their results prove them right. Naturalized respectively at 12 and 8 years old, Toma and Christo Popov already have a well-stocked track record. Christo has won everything at European level in the junior categories, and confirmed among the professionals with his silver medal in singles and bronze in doubles with his brother at the European Games in 2023 (equivalent to the European championships). Toma is, for his part, European champion U19 (junior) in singles and doubles in 2017, and bronze medalist in singles at the European Championships in 2022, a performance which he repeated at the European Games the following year.
A fusional link
Beyond this cocoon tailor-made for them, they also rely on their family bond, their other great strength. “We constantly help each other. We can always count on each other, and we pull each other up. Even if we are sometimes adversaries, we are always together, a family, where everyone is focused on the same objective”, assures Toma. A fusional link which can also have disadvantages. “We know each other by heart off and on the pitch. I love it, he hates it,” slips with mischief Christo. “It’s horrible, confirms Toma, looking disillusioned. He anticipates my moves, it’s very painful but it always pushes me to create something new to surprise him.” “It’s quite nice to watch”, adds Christo, teasingly.
Popov Insep
Training of the Popov brothers at Insep, December 6. – (APOLLINE MERLE / FRANCEINFO SPORT)
But their relationship did not prevent each of them from creating their own identity and cultivating their difference. “They are very different, already Tomi is right-handed, Christo left-handed. They do not have the same technique, nor the same vision of the game, which is an asset within the team. In doubles, it is even the best configuration”, confides their father. Standing at 1.96 meters tall, Tomi Popov is characterized by his powerful game, with smashes that can go at more than 300 km/h.
“They are apart”
For his part, Christo is the creative one of the family, the “prodigy who always looks for the right point”, players and staff of the France team agree. “He is very serious in the things that really interest him. In terms of badminton, he is one of the most creative in the game, who can constantly surprise. He has an innate talent”, confirms Tomi. “They are apart. Tomi has a very aggressive game, and always looks to attack with very powerful shots. He is also very strong mentallyis lying. Christo is madness in the game, he knows how to do everything. Off the court, they’re great fun.” confirms their friend and teammate, Arnaud Merklé, French number 3, who has known them for ten years and who has climbed the ranks in their company.
If they are still little known outside of badminton, they will undeniably be athletes to follow in Paris, their qualification, or at least that of one of them, being almost assured. And on them rests the hope of a first Olympic medal for French badminton. “As we are not yet qualified, we don’t think about it too much, puts Tomi into perspective, calmly. We think step by step, without worrying.” “We’ve never had a medal in badminton, so if we do, great, but if we don’t, says Christo, also imperturbable, we will have tried and we will aim for 2028.”