Check our newest interview from Léa PALERMO.
Léa Palermo, 29 years old, I am from Saint-Ismier (a little city next to Grenoble) and I started playing badminton at the age of 8 in GUC (Grenoble Université Club). I have been playing for Cholet (BACH) since 2020 and I train at INSEP for 10 years now. I'm a double player (women and mixed) and I hate losing (no matter the game) !!! I'm also a big fan of hip hop and Afro dance but can't really dance properly.
I started playing badminton thanks to my dad who was playing in Grenoble (leisure level). As I had to stop doing gymnastics due to serious back problems at the age of 8, I tried badminton because I truly loved the game, the speed and the crazy amount of technical shots that I could create with my racket !
I am French champion in 2016 and 2019 in ladies double, European silver medalist in the team event in 2021 and got bronze in 2020. I'm also a semi-finalist at Denmark Open 750 in 2020 in mixed doubles and in 2019, I reached 27th spot in the world ranking in ladies doubles and won the Mediterranean Games in 2018.
I chose Decathlon Badminton for its human adventure and constant wish to target expertise and performance towards our sport. Beginning my journey with Decathlon Badminton, I got the real feeling that I was about to work with passionate people, who'll always look for performance regarding our discussions and equipment.
My journey is not over yet and from my last experiences, my only goal is to listen to what my body is saying, go through my emotions and redefine the player I want to be.
Since October 2021 when I got injured in my left knee, it's no longer about performing high or getting the highest title. It is about enjoying every second of my life, on and off court, considering that each battle is a gift and an opportunity to get stronger and wiser (Damn!! Am I ????)