Félix Lebrun: France's penhold prodigy
Félix Lebrun is a French table tennis player born in Montpellier in 2006 who plays with the penhold grip. At 17 he won two bronze medals at Paris 2024, in singles and the team event, becoming the youngest male Olympic medalist in the sport. In 2026 he reached world No. 2 and won the European singles title.
In this article
Félix Lebrun became the face of a new generation of European table tennis before he even turned 18. Playing with the penhold grip, a rare style outside Asia, the Frenchman won two Olympic bronze medals in front of a home crowd at Paris 2024 and, with his brother Alexis, helped turn ping pong into a craze in France.
This page sums up Félix Lebrun's career, his titles and his playing style.
Who is Félix Lebrun
Félix Lebrun was born on September 12, 2006, in Montpellier, in the south of France. He comes from a table tennis family: his father, Stéphane, was once among the top players in France, and his uncle, Christophe Legoût, played three Olympics for France. His older brother, Alexis Lebrun, is also an elite player.
Félix is right-handed and plays with the penhold grip, also using the reverse side of the paddle for his backhand. He started playing at age 3 and switched to penhold as a young child.
Félix Lebrun's titles
| Event | Results |
|---|---|
| Olympics | Singles and team bronze at Paris 2024 |
| World Championships | Doubles bronze at Doha 2025, team silver in 2024 |
| European Championships | Singles and doubles champion in 2026, doubles in 2024, team in 2025 |
| European Games | Singles gold in 2023 |
| WTT | Champions Montpellier 2024 and Chongqing 2026, WTT Finals doubles 2024 |
Paris 2024: bronze at 17
At Paris 2024, playing at home, Félix reached the singles semifinals and lost to China's Fan Zhendong, the eventual champion. In the bronze medal match he beat Brazil's Hugo Calderano. A few days later he won another bronze with France in the team event, alongside Alexis and Simon Gauzy.
At 17 he became the youngest male Olympic medalist in table tennis history. The full tournament is covered in table tennis at Paris 2024, and the Brazilian side of that bronze match is on the Hugo Calderano page.
The Lebrun brothers
Félix and Alexis are one of the strongest men's doubles pairs in the world. Together they won the 2024 WTT Finals doubles in Fukuoka, were European doubles champions in 2024 and 2026 and took doubles bronze at the 2025 World Championships in Doha. They also face each other often: Félix beat his brother in the 2025 French Championships final.
2026: world No. 2 and European champion
In August 2026, Félix reached world No. 2. In October, at the European Championships in Ljubljana, he beat Sweden's Anton Källberg 4-3 in the final to become European singles champion at 20, matching what Alexis had done in 2024. What ranking points mean is explained in table tennis world ranking.
Playing style
Félix Lebrun is a modern penholder, very different from the classic penhold players. His main strengths:
- Speed: he plays very close to the table and takes the ball early.
- A reverse penhold backhand that is aggressive and finds awkward angles.
- Changes of pace, mixing fast balls with sudden changes of direction.
- Composure in big points, despite his age.
To understand how penhold works and why it became rare, see penhold grip.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Félix Lebrun?
A French table tennis player born in Montpellier in 2006. He plays penhold and won two Olympic bronze medals at Paris 2024, at age 17.
Did Félix Lebrun beat Hugo Calderano?
Yes. In the Paris 2024 singles bronze medal match, Félix Lebrun beat Hugo Calderano, who finished 4th.
Are Félix and Alexis Lebrun brothers?
Yes. Alexis is the older brother. They play doubles together and won the WTT Finals doubles in 2024.
How old is Félix Lebrun?
He was born on September 12, 2006. He was 17 when he won his Olympic medals in Paris.
Does Félix Lebrun use a penhold grip?
Yes. He plays penhold with a reverse penhold backhand, a rare style among elite players outside Asia.
What is Félix Lebrun's highest ranking?
He reached world No. 2 in August 2026. Rankings change every week, so check the ITTF or WTT website for his current position.
Who coaches and inspires Félix Lebrun?
He grew up in a table tennis family in Montpellier, with a father who played at a high level in France and an uncle who played three Olympics. His brother Alexis is both his doubles partner and one of his main rivals.