Stephane Houdet

Started: He began playing wheelchair tennis in 2005 at age 34 in Grenoble, France. (Athlete, 19 Jul 2016) Reason: He discovered wheelchair tennis while playing golf with Dutch footballer Johan Cruyff, whose charity foundation is heavily involved in the sport. Houdet and Cruyff were working together developing the World Golf Tour for the Disabled. Although golf was his preferred sport, its lack of inclusion on the Paralympic programme saw him turn to tennis, the sport he played as a boy. (jecworld2020.sched.com, 01 Feb 2020; stephanehoudet.jimdofree.com, 01 Jun 2019) Ambition: To win a medal at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (Athlete, 26 Aug 2024) Awards: In January 2009 he was named Knight of the Legion of Honour by the French president. In 2021 he was named Officer of the Legion of Honour after claiming gold in men's doubles at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. (depecheveterinaire.com, 15 Sep 2021; stephanehoudet.jimdofree.com, 01 Jun 2019) He and judoka Sandrine Martinet were flag bearers for France at the opening ceremony of the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. (informations.handicap.fr, 05 Jul 2021) In 2016 he was named Officer of the National Order of Merit by the French government. (legifrance.gouv.fr, 30 Nov 2016) Additional Info: WHEELCHAIR DEVELOPMENT With the help of specialists in engineering and medicine and a French manufacturer of bicycle wheels, he created a new sports wheelchair in which he is kneeling rather than seated. "The aim was to mimic, as much as possible, the movements of a non-Para tennis player, as I used to be. When you are seated, your knees are over your hip but in this position the movement to hit the ball is anti-physiological, so a new position needed to be used. I have had it since 2016. It took me a time to adapt to it as I crashed the first time I tried a turn. But it was just a matter of learning." (Bros. Stories YouTube channel, 05 Feb 2020) OTHER ROLES AND ACTIVITIES He has helped in the development of the World Golf Tour for the Disabled alongside the Johan Cruyff Foundation. He has also served as a sport and impairment consultant for the French Ministry of Defence. (stephanehoudet.jimdofree.com, 01 Jun 2019; la-croix.com, 05 Jun 2019) FORMER OCCUPATION He is a former veterinarian. (Athlete, 26 Aug 2024)