Charles Noakes reflects on golden Para badminton success two years on from Paris 2024
Two years on from Paris 2024, French Para badminton star Charles Noakes looks back on the emotions of winning his maiden Paralympic gold medal and sharing the unforgettable moment with home fans. 28 Aug 2026
When French Para badminton player Charles Noakes stepped onto the court for the men's singles SH6 final at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, he carried the hopes of a home nation on his shoulders.
Two years on, he still remembers what it felt like to win his maiden Paralympic gold medal and how he celebrated with the home crowd.
The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, which took place from 28 August to 8 September, featured more than 4,000 athletes from around the world.
Noakes won one of the host nation's 30 gold medals after defeating Great Britain's Krysten Coombs in straight games.
"The crowd was just so noisy it was just amazing. I loved the size of the crowd. It was like being in a football stadium, but all the attention was only on you," he recalled.
"It was an incredible tournament for me, the first tournament I won. Playing in a Paralympic final at home in front of your friends and family is a fantastic feeling.
Becoming France's Para Badminton Champion | Charles Noakes 🇫🇷🏸
Golden glory in Paris
Noakes, who made his Paralympic debut in Paris, pulled off a 2-0 win over Coombs in the men’s singles SH6 event.
In the lead up to Paris neither he nor his opponent Coombs had won a tournament during the qualification period but they both ended up making the final.
“We made sure to enjoy the moment, and our match was shown everywhere. Everybody loved our personalities and our friendship, I think that’s what we need in sport, people enjoying themselves and showing respect to each other. We had all of that on that day.”
He said that competing at the Paralympics for the first time came with stress that he had not experienced before. He stayed focused on his games by singing the French national anthem, which allowed him to shut out any distractions.
Keeping the same routine every day allowed him to remain calm for competing, pivoting away from focusing on the obvious pressure on his shoulders. This led to an impressive unbeaten streak in Paris.
“When I won the gold, the first feeling I felt was relief, because I’ve sacrificed a lot to be able to win that tournament. Each time I lost, doubt started to creep in, and I wanted to believe in myself.”
Two years until LA28
With less than two years to go until the LA28 Paralympics, Noakes is looking forward to competing in LA because he feels like everything is bigger in the United States.
“The goal will be to win another gold but also to make history to be the first SH6 player to win two gold medals in a row.”
He talked about the unpredictability of the event, and about how mental preparation is just as important as physical.
“In SH6 you don’t know who’s going to win the next tournament. When you arrive at the Paralympics, everybody is at the same level, but what’s going to make the difference is your mentality and that’s the key to success.
If you enjoy the moments, it will reduce the pressure.”
There is also a broader goal of increasing the visibility of the sport.
“We want to show Para badminton to the entire world and to attract new players.”
What it means
Noakes, who was born in London and spent part of his childhood in Hong Kong, says it is always important to think about how he got into Para sport. He began playing badminton in 2017 after relocating to Saultron, France.
It was here where he met his former coach Philippe Molé who introduced him to Para badminton. This was his first introduction to Para sport.
“When I discovered this amazing environment, I really wanted to know more about it. If I didn’t meet my first coach I wouldn’t have become Paralympic champion, you mustn’t forget who believed in you when you first arrived.”
For Noakes, competing at a Paralympics is a “revenge on life.”
“Being of short stature is not easy but being able to participate at the biggest Para sport event in the world means a lot.
“It shows that when you believe in yourself you can do amazing things and achieve dreams.”
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