Winner of the World Tour Finals… This is the “logical” continuation of a story that began 18 years ago, in Fos-sur-Mer, for Christo Popov and his first license recorded within the local club, at only five springs.
Badminton was an obvious choice with a family driven by this all-consuming passion for shuttlecocks, first in Bulgaria with his father Toma, his uncle Mihail (one of the very best doubles players in the world in the early 2000s who was present at the Sydney Olympics). His brother Toma Junior, French representative at the Paris Olympics in singles, also showed the way by first crossing many barriers for young French people. A pioneer in the “World Tour” tournaments that he now travels with Christo over the weeks.
The rest was written in Provence when his father left his bundle alone, in 2003, initially settling at the home of the Mansuy family, then president of the Touchen club. His wife and children would follow a few months later.
Coach and player at BC Fos, Toma Popov also took charge of the children’s training and careers. Daily rigor.
Vice-world champion and world number 1 in juniors
Christo grew up, progressing through the stages when he participated, at just 14 years old, in his first French Elite championships among the big boys.
He was titled at 17 (becoming the youngest champion in the competition), then was vice-world junior champion before being slowed down by Covid for his last junior year. A global title beckoned to him when he had naturally become the world No.1 among young people.
The signs were there. “He has done a lot of work since he was little. He had the talent but to develop, to follow it, it did not happen alone. To win the World Tour Finals, it’s a lot of sacrifices“, confided this Sunday his uncle ‘Miki’, now present in Provence since the start of the school year after having worked with the federation as national coach.
It was also a lot of belief in a project for the Popov team and two inseparable brothers who are pulling each other to the top. Toma Junior did not hesitate to go to China with his father, the physical trainer, Antoine Pichonet, to play luxury sparring during this week to come and train and warm up his younger brother before each meeting.
The talented Christo was able to fully express himself in Hangzhou, with the confidence accumulated over six months and his rise in the world rankings. Enough to sign an exceptional score against the Chinese Shi Yu Qi, the best player in the world (21-19, 21-9). A new page in his story but the story of his career is still far from finished. At only 23 years old…
