Xavier Barachet and William Accambray have been handball world champions since January 30, 2011. But they have a second thing in common: they are both natives of the Alpes-Maritimes and spent their early years on the Azur courts. Nice Premium looks back at their respective journeys that led them to the top of the handball world.
The Revelation of Xavier Barachet
He is unquestionably the discovery of the 2011 World Championship in Sweden. Born in Nice, Xavier Barachet started handball in 1997 at Cavigal Nice Handball. He received an upbringing truly focused on family. His father (Jean-Pierre Barachet) being the president of the Nice club, he has been immersed in this sport since a young age. But his environment is not the only explanation for his extraordinary talent. “He is a hard worker with an incredible game intelligence. And that’s why we had him start with the seniors at age 15,” says Claude Mirtillo, his former coach at Cavigal.
“Barach,” as he is nicknamed, currently plays right back at Chambéry and for the French team, a physically demanding position. But that hasn’t always been the case. “Back then (at Cavigal), he wasn’t very tall and rather fragile, so we played him as a winger, a position less prone to violent contacts. But around 16-17 years old, he grew 20 cm and gained over 15 kg, eventually reaching a sturdy build, like his father’s (laughs),” explains his ex-coach. Then to take the next step and see what high-level play was like, he joined Chambéry in 2006. There, he truly leveled up. He moved from N1 (3rd division) to the 1st division and especially the Champions League, finally getting to compete against the best.
“A Super Partner”
As a logical progression, Xavier Barachet joined the French team in 2009 and took part in the World Championships campaign in Croatia. In 2011, at just 22 years old, he was the revelation of the World Championship in Sweden. “Honestly, during this World Championship, he amazed me. I felt he had dedication, was comfortable in his skin, not anxious. He didn’t have trouble fitting into the group. He’s a simple, pleasant, modest person. He’s a super partner,” confirms Claude Mirtillo. “He managed to show us that he had a very good understanding of the game and that he has gained a certain maturity in that aspect. It’s true that being left-handed is an advantage. There aren’t many in the French team. There isn’t much competition for the right back position. But that doesn’t explain everything.”
Next season Xavier will play in Spain, at Ciudad Real. It’s an opportunity for him to climb even higher. We will be able to see the extent of his potential or at least his room for improvement.
William Accambray, Through Sheer Determination
While the right back position on the French team seems now destined for Barachet, the left back position that William Accambray covets seems much harder to secure (Daniel Narcisse, Nikola Karabatic, and possibly Jérôme Fernandez are contenders). The Cannes native began his young career at ASPTT Grasse from 1997 to 2003. He would pass through the clubs of Mouans-Sartoux and Mandelieu. At the same time, William attended a sports-study handball program in Nice. During the 2003/2004 season, he won the French Under-18 Championship (he was 15) and in 2004/2005 he joined the first team in National 2. “During the 2003/2004 inter-pole competitions, he was spotted by Canayer, Montpellier’s coach. Following an agreement with the kid and the DTN, William stayed with us for one more season. He entered the Montpellier training center at the end of 2004,” confirms Roger Badalassi, general secretary of HB3M (Mougins-Mouans Sartoux-Mandelieu).
Introverted but Determined
Standing at 1.94m and weighing 104 kg, the back with an imposing physique clearly has strong genes: a father who was a hammer throw champion and a mother who was a discus thrower, both international athletes. While he is said to be introverted, he also has a reputation for being a very composed player, with an unflappable coolness and determination. Indeed, in his first year, he played with the professional team and won his first French Championship title, all at just 17 years old. He signed his first pro contract in 2008 and was selected for the French team a year later.
Since then, the titles of the Cannes native are countless: 4-time French champion, 4-time winner of the French Cup, 5-time winner of the League Cup. But this gold medal at the World Championships in Sweden will remain the most important title of his career.
But this Swedish campaign will certainly stand out as it showcased the talent of the young generation of French handball. And in the process, it gave Azur handball two more reasons to be proud.
