Charles Noakes

Started: He took up the sport in 2017 and contested his first national championship in 2018, before joining the regional training centre [CREPS] in Pays de La Loire, France, in 2019. Previously he was involved in football, tennis, table tennis, swimming, golf, and judo. "After stopping judo, I wanted a sport that allowed me to fix my own objectives but also to have fun once or twice a week. Badminton fitted these criteria and so I joined the Badminton Club of Saint Herblain." (charlesnoakes.com, 01 Jan 2024; loire-atlantique.fr, 01 Jan 2020) Reason: He was introduced to badminton through his high school sports classes. After joining the Saint Herblain Badminton Club and playing with non-Para athletes, the club's president, Philippe Mole, introduced him to the club's Para badminton section. "I didn't know it at the time, but this meeting [with Mole] would change my life and allow me to turn my handicap into a strength over the years to follow. A few weeks after joining the Para badminton group, he [Mole] saw how happy it made me, and he suggested I start entering tournaments including the national championships. I quickly achieved good results and my progression just kept going. It was at this moment that I began to think about creating a project to participate at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris." (LinkedIn profile, 22 Apr 2024; charlesnoakes.com, 01 Jan 2024; monstudiotv YouTube channel, 19 Mar 2022) Ambition: To win gold at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (LinkedIn profile, 21 Nov 2023)