Who am I ?
Welcome to my website. My name is Charles Noakes, I am 26 years old and I am high-level athlete in Para badminton.
Passionate about sport since a young age, I have played a multitude of sports such as football, tennis, table tennis, swimming, golf and judo. Today, it is in thebadminton that I flourish. This taste for badminton came to college during PE classes. I had a good level and what I liked most about this sport was the fun, dynamic side but also the duel aspect between me and the opponent.
After stopping judo, I wanted to find a new sport that allowed me to set my own goals but also to let off steam once or twice a week. Badminton met these criteria and it is BadmintonSaint-Herblain Club that I decided to take a license. I quickly got my bearings and after a month, I met someone whowould change my life.
Having always practiced sports as an able-bodied person, this time I was going to discover a new universe, that ofdisabled sports in particular thePara Badminton. Indeed, my former club president and former coach, a certainPhilippe Molé noticed that I had a height handicap. This handicap was part of a category in Para Badminton. This is why he came to me and asked me to come and play at Parabad on a Wednesday evening with players in wheelchairs.
Being someone who is very curious and fond of new challenges, I responded favorably to his invitation, and I went the following Wednesday evening to this famous Parabad slot. I met some very nice people, there was a family and very good-natured atmosphere, despite everyone's disability, everyone had a joy of life and a smile.
I immediately feltintegrated and I wanted to continue this adventure with them. This world of para badminton had values similar to mine. I didn't know it yet but this meeting would change my life and I would turn my disability into a real strength in the following years.
A few weeks after my integration into the group, my coach saw that I wasfulfilled,happyand that I tookpleasureto play badminton. He therefore suggested that I do tournaments but also participate inFrench championships.
I very quickly had good results and my progress continued to evolve. It was at that moment that he presented me with the idea of building a Paralympic project to participate in theParis 2024 Paralympic Games.
A few months later, after completing my degree in sports management, I joined theNantes Hope Center, a high-level structure in which the best players in the region train.
I am today4th player in the world in singles and I'm a few months away from participating in my firstParalympic Games, at home in Paris in 2024