Every four years, the month of June rhymes, in normal times, with the Football World Cup. This was supposed to be the case in 2022, but the Qatari edition will take place in November and December.

However, at the start of summer, there will be many a world title in play around a round ball. Smaller this time, since it’s table football. At 27, Clementine Thomas, player in Toulouse, her city of birth, is taking part in her fourth world competition, which takes place near Nantes (Loire-Atlantique), until July 3.

The tray as a seesaw

Before getting there, the Toulousaine had her classes… in high school. “I discovered this world at 15 years old. Arrival at the terminal, I was more often at table football that in progress… And in June, my parents had cut out an article on French champions of table football in mixed doubles, ”recalls the player. And a speech by way of motivation: “they told me that the ferry was approaching, and that if I had it, they might consider putting me in a club and take care of the costs.

“I had my baccalaureate, and so I discovered the world of table football in a club at 18. I quickly started to compete and the selections for the France team quickly arrived. I have always been at the club of Toulouse (Toulouse Football de Table), except for two years when I changed clubs for Evry. I came back to Toulouse, because I really like this club, there is a good atmosphere, everything the world has known each other for a long time!”

Ten years and titles

On a personal level, Clémentine Thomar obtained a university degree in conflict analysis with a military strategy option, before preparing for the penitentiary and judicial protection of youth competitions. “I worked for a little while”, comments the one who became a mother. ” I had a baby, who was born in January. I stopped this activity at the judicial protection, and on July 11, for Toulouse Métropole, I will be a district referent to Mr. Cognard, who is mayor of district 6.3. »

A lively course, at the rhythm of a dazzling progression handshakes.

At only 20 years old, she is participating in her first World Cup. “It was in 2015, in Turin, we were world champions in the French women’s team. In 2017, I was also selected in Hamburg, we also won. And in 2019, in Murcia, we stopped in the quarter-finals, ”recalls the player, who was also selected in the individual categories.

On the way to a fourth World Cup

Clémentine Thomar will therefore participate in her fourth consecutive World Cup, the event taking place every two years. She will be in three individual tables, where she will compete for her own title. “I’m selected for mixed doubles, women’s doubles, and another women’s doubles with different rules. “And then, the Toulousaine will defend the colors of France, in the so-called Nations event, where she teams up with eight other players.

“In the World Cup, individually, we play two winning sets of 5 points. If there is a tie, we play the beautiful, and if there is 4-4, we make a 2-point difference up to 8 points. And in the France team, each element, so a solo or a duo, must reach 10 points to win, but every 2 points, we change table football. dispute in this way.”

Important data, since “the international federation recognizes five types of foosball, and each country can choose its own. In France, we play on the Bonzini. But every two points, we will switch tables, and that’s where we have to show that we know how to play on all tables. Motivated to go for a third title, Clémentine Thomar warns: “the USA, Germany and austria stands out. They should not be underestimated! »

Preferences and policies

Between 1 against 1 or 2 against 2, the 27-year-old player has a preference: “ I’m good in 1 on 1. I appreciate this management of the table football in solo, being able to move from the back to the front, and from the front to the back. This is something that is new to me and that I like a lot”. But in Nantes, it is in 2 against 2 that it will have to shine.

“In doubles, I defined myself as someone calm, who knows how to take the risks of her partner, she believes. I started in defence, now I play up front more often. It’s something that put under pressure, so I’m a little sponge, I absorb. And Clémentine Thomar does not hesitate to qualify “opportunistic : if there is a but that arises, I will not think for 30 seconds, I take it, whether it is beautiful or not! »

Nantes, an additional motivation

Beyond the natural motivation of wanting to win an event that takes place in her country, the mother of the family also sees, in this stopover in Nantes for the Foosball World Cup, an opportunity for the latter ” to be more recognized. We try to communicate around that and especially around the women’s circuit, because it is very small in France, that’s a shame “.

“Very often, I see a lot of players from cafés, from high school, who don’t dare go through the door of a club. Toulouse is a stronghold of table football, there are a lot of Toulouse players to be selected. We have exceeded ten, women and men combined. It’s not nothing. I’m happy to say that in Toulouse, we are good at table football, we have two clubs, we must not hesitate to cross the course, even to come have fun!”

But in the short term, the concentration is on the Palais des Sports de Beaulieu, in Nantes. “This month of June has been exhausting, I absolutely had to rest, which is not always chosen simple, with a small baby of 5 months, smiled Clémentine Thomar. I saw friends, took advantage of the sunny days, the good meals, and I trained too. And now I’m here! »

Was this article helpful to you? Note that you can follow Actu Toulouse in the My Actu space. In one click, after registration, you will find all the news of your favorite cities and brands.