Aristide Barraud, 34, is a former rugby player. A fly-half who trained at RC Massy, he notably played for Stade Français and the French U20 team. He suffered a gunshot wound during the attacks in Paris on November 13, 2015, which forced him to end his career at the age of 26. He has since immersed himself in writing, art and photography.

"Charles Ollivon is huge. I even had to stand on a chair to photograph him. But I'm not talking about his double meter minus one centimeter (he's 1.99 m tall). Because size doesn't interest me. Firstly, I've always been the shortest of my teams. Secondly, I'm still two heads taller than my sister. And my sister is still the tallest person I know.

But in short, Ollivon is something else. It's a sensation of immensity, a feeling that he imposes unintentionally, without violence. It is surely the effect of those who have come a long way, those who have often had to give up, or experience loss and pain. They say they've come a long way, but physical distance is like height, it counts for nothing. It is all played out on the inside, up close and personal. It's a journey of every inch gained, of every refusal to give up. A faith in the future, in one's own abilities.

Ollivon has endured years of internal struggle, one hardship after another away from the pitch. In 2018, yet another shoulder injury left him sidelined for two years. He met a dozen surgeons, none of whom took the risk of operating on him. Retirement at 25 seemed to be inching closer. With each new waiting room, each month in doubt, there was the feeling of falling ever lower.

If there's one advantage to falling, it's self-knowledge. The discovery of unknown zones that become the basis of strength, confidence and stability once you've regained your height.

If there's one advantage to height, it's observation. Like being on top of a mountain. When you look back, it's easier to see how far you've come. His own mountain is called La Rhune, a peak in the Basque Country where he grew up. As a boy, his father would take him running up there and race him during the last kilometer. The reward for endurance was the omelet at the high-altitude restaurant and the view over the region of which he is both an heir and the personification.

Ollivon has the stamina of a shepherd, the skill of a pelota player [a Basque court game] and the stamina of a Basque strength champion. But what impresses me most about this player is his serenity forged by hardship, his confidence in victory that permeates those at his side. In future matches, I invite you to observe his body language and his calm gaze in the heat of battle.

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