As part of the “Rural Educational Territory” system, students from Cieutat and Mérilheu schools benefited from a climbing session in the presence of world champion Romain Pagnoux.
Thus, about twenty students from the Cieutat and Mérilheu schools, accompanied by their teachers and volunteer parents, met at the Cordier gymnasium, in Bagnères-de-Bigorre, to indulge in the joys of climbing, but also to get out to exchange with an ace of the discipline, the Bigourdan Romain Pagnoux, multiple world champion in hand climbing but who also shone among the able-bodied before an irreversible ankle injury. Nothing stands in the way of his perseverance, on the contrary, and if today the athlete has retired from competitions, he continues to work with the same enthusiasm on the development of the sport of climbing, but also on transmitting the values of the sport. Naturally, he accepted the invitation from the coordinator of the TER of Haute Bigorre, Emmanuel Couëron, to come and meet the children.
Raising awareness of Olympic values and disabilities
“On the occasion of the Paris Olympic Games next summer, in addition to the various actions carried out in the region to promote learning, discovery and development of students, we are organizing four sporting activities to introduce young people to different disciplines and to become aware of the values of sport and Olympism, but also of disability. The TER is there to help and organize these actions, which in particular allowed us to call on a professional climbing instructor and also gave us the opportunity to can count on the intervention of Romain Pagnoux and the climbing department of Victor Duruy secondary school,” praises Emmanuel Couëron.
After all, the entire section came to the meeting to contribute to the supervision of this sports afternoon in Cordier. These are almost thirty volunteer high school students who would like to share their passion with their younger brothers and sisters. The director of the secondary school, Frédéric Labarbe, was also pleased with their involvement in introducing the youngest to climbing. Most have already agreed to help for the next part, namely a day of climbing on a natural route.
The second action will bring together the students of Gerde and Trébons next Tuesday in the La Plaine gymnasium, with the participation of parabadminton player David Toupé. Then, in May, time for a week’s residency at the Tarbes Dance 6T association, where schoolchildren from Pouzac, Montgaillard and Gerde can learn about Break Dance (Olympic discipline at the Paris Olympics!) while middle and high school students are entitled to a flash mob in the courtyard of their establishment. Finally, it will be a sports day in the great outdoors, with kayaking, mountain biking and rifle shooting, which will conclude this Olympic series in June in Payolle. A nice program.