Remy Boulle

Started: He took up Para canoeing in 2014. (Facebook page, 11 Jun 2016; france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr, 05 May 2015) Reason: He had been involved in canoeing before joining the army and took up the sport again after his parachuting accident during an army training exercise. "During rehabilitation I realised how much muscle I had lost so I decided to return to sports. I also heard that canoeing would be added to the Paralympic programme [for the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro]. As I had practised the sport when I was a child I saw that as a sign and I entered the sport with the goal of reaching the Games in Rio 15 months later." (handirect.fr, 14 Sep 2019) Ambition: To win a gold medal at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (francetvinfo.fr, 03 Oct 2022) Milestones: He became the first male French canoe sprint athlete to win a Paralympic medal in the sport when he claimed bronze in the men's KL1 200m event at the 2020 Games in Tokyo. (SportsDeskOnline, 01 Jul 2024) Awards: In 2021 he was named Knight of the National Order of Merit in France. (ffck.org, 13 Sep 2021; Instagram profile, 14 Sep 2021) Additional Info: BRACELETS He presented a bracelet to French president Emmanuel Macron in 2019 during the Bastille Day celebrations in Paris. The bracelet, decorated in blue, white and red colours, had the logo of the Paralympic Games and the words 'bravery, strength and determination' in French. He presented the bracelet to Macron after the pair shook hands. "I saw he didn't want to leave my hand and I felt quite an emotion. At that moment I asked him if I could give him my bracelet. I thought only to hand it to him, but he presented his hand so I could put it around his wrist. I felt he was thrilled, with a sincere emotion. It was cool." He had previously presented a bracelet to Prince Harry during the 2017 Invictus Games in Toronto, ON, Canada. (larep.fr, 15 Jul 2019) OCCUPATION He is a member of the French armed forces as part of the Armee de Champions [Army of Champions] athlete programme. Before his accident he was an active member of the French air force, and took part in military operations in Afghanistan, Mali, Chad, and Niger. (Instagram profile, 07 May 2024; dicodusport.fr, 02 Sep 2023; emag.sportmag.fr, 01 Jan 2018)