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- Hakim Arezki, the incredible journey of the cecifoot champion
- Who is Hakim Arezki, this hero from Kabylie who became a Paralympic champion?
- Hakim Arezki’s journey before the glory and spotlight of cecifoot
- Unforgettable achievements and career of a Paralympic champion
- His private life, a choice of discretion amidst the spotlight
- Surprising anecdotes and key moments in Hakim Arezki’s destiny
- Current projects and collaborations shaping Hakim Arezki’s future
- Why take an interest in the inspiring story of Hakim Arezki?
- What you might not have known about Hakim Arezki
Hakim Arezki, the incredible journey of the cecifoot champion
Hakim Arezki, born March 20, 1983, in Azazga, Algeria, is already a name that evokes an extraordinary journey. At 42 years old, this giant of cecifoot stands about 1.78 meters tall, a stature he has greatly used to serve his passion and his sport. Married since 2018, his life is not just about football but a true rebirth.
Before becoming an iconic figure of French cecifoot, Hakim went through an absolutely terrible ordeal. Imagine participating in a peaceful protest and ending up seriously injured to the point of losing your sight; that’s what happened to him in 2001. That infamous Black Spring in Kabylie, where police violence left an indelible mark on his life.
It took a lot of courage after that debacle. Arriving in France in critical condition, he had to relearn many things: read Braille, regain a taste for life, and above all, find in cecifoot a reason to get back up. A sport unknown to many, but that became for him a true light in the darkness.
The mix of talent, work, and determination—that is what made him a pillar of the French team. Between a silver medal in London in 2012 and a gold medal won in Paris in 2024 before 13,000 spectators, his story is a vibrant and moving human adventure.
Who is Hakim Arezki, this hero from Kabylie who became a Paralympic champion?
You may know him as the indispensable player of the French cecifoot team, but Hakim Arezki is above all a man born in Kabylie, in Azazga, who grew up in a small village rocked by the music of Lounès Matoub, a poet singing the Berber cause. This gives an idea of the sacred fire that has always driven him.
The injury that cost him his sight, and almost his life, did not break him. On the contrary, it forged an exceptional character. As early as 2004, he discovered cecifoot at the Institute for the Blind Youth in Paris. The craziest thing is that before, he played football, but who would have thought he would go so far after such a trauma?
With French citizenship in hand, he took up a team sport not widely publicized but extremely demanding. His marriage in 2018 to a discreet woman reflects that stability he managed to carve around his chaotic past life.
A true symbol of resilience and success, he embodies both the Kabylie of his roots and the France of his future, without forgetting the intimate story where sport offered a second chance as unexpected as it is priceless.
Hakim Arezki’s journey before the glory and spotlight of cecifoot
I assure you, his early journey was intense. Imagine an 18-year-old young man, full of hope, participating in a peaceful march against discrimination in Kabylie in 2001, who became a victim of violent repression’s bullets. Two bullets, one to the head, the other to the ankle, that’s no small matter, believe me.
Nicknamed the Black Spring, this tragic episode almost cost him his life, especially since medical care in Algeria was far from adequate. His father made the decision that changed his whole life: to come get him and bring him back to France where the fight for his survival and rehabilitation began.
His leg narrowly escaped amputation; he underwent about ten operations, learned Braille, music, and became familiar with cecifoot. At first, this sport was just a way to stay active. Eventually, it was the trigger, the means to reconcile his past and his future.
His sports commitment started in pioneering clubs like AS Saint-Mandé, then he went through all the stages until joining the French Team in 2009, never giving up his position as a key defender in a sport where emotion and technique blend at every match.
Unforgettable achievements and career of a Paralympic champion
Let’s talk a bit about his achievements, which are far from ordinary. Silver medalist at the London 2012 Paralympic Games, he was close to the goal. But it was only the beginning. In 2024, before thousands of fans gathered at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, Hakim scored the first penalty in the final. Yes, he put France on track to win gold.
In the meantime, he won two European titles, in 2009 and 2022, the latter perfectly describing his longevity and ability to reinvent himself constantly. He is also active in association life, president of the Seine-Saint-Denis Departmental Handisport Committee, and an engaged actor promoting cecifoot.
He is not just a player, he is a true leader, a voice for those sometimes forgotten. His autobiography, “Renaître dans la nuit”, released in 2025, is an intimate testimony that reveals all that incredible strength born of pain and overcoming.
If you want to understand what resilience and victory against all odds mean, follow this link to his exemplary journey. Honestly, it’s inspiring.
His private life, a choice of discretion amidst the spotlight
In this whirlwind of championships, medals, and commitments, Hakim wanted to keep a certain discretion regarding his private life. We know he married in 2018, but he jealously protects this side, which is understandable after a life already exposed to so many tragedies and battles.
He now lives in Boulogne-Billancourt and remains very close to his Kabyle roots, which colors everything he does, including his role with the younger generations in handisport. A true quiet strength that we gradually discover through his poetic and meaningful interviews.
He once said something that struck me: “France saved me.” It’s not just a phrase, it’s like a declaration – that of a man who carries within him a dual identity, that of a survivor, a fighter, and a champion.
If you want to know more about this incredible Paralympic champion, his life is truly a unique example of what a human being can accomplish when they never give up.
Surprising anecdotes and key moments in Hakim Arezki’s destiny
One thing that struck me is that before becoming a champion in his sport, doctors had clearly told him he would never be able to run again. Well, no, he is still here, on the field, defying the odds. It’s a bit the story of a guy who turns his limits into strengths.
We also often draw a parallel with his love for Lounès Matoub, that committed Kabyle poet who was a constant source of inspiration. Hakim never misses an opportunity to remind how vital culture and memory are for staying on course in the storm.
On lesser-known fields, he helped create the Bondy Cécifoot Club, to make this sport accessible to more young people. A real sense of sharing and teamwork, while keeping the competitor’s spirit at its peak.
Don’t hesitate to discover his touching testimony on this meeting in Normandy, where he speaks with moving sincerity.
Current projects and collaborations shaping Hakim Arezki’s future
So today? Hakim doesn’t give up. European champion in 2022, Paralympic champion in 2024, he turns his experience into a springboard for the future. He actively promotes cecifoot among the youth and is involved in various handisport initiatives in the Île-de-France region.
He also works with different clubs, such as Sporting Paris and Girondins de Bordeaux, to push this sport to greater visibility. All this, with his frankness and boundless energy, proves that one can be a discreet hero and a passionate fighter.
His autobiography published in 2025 is a real source of inspiration, telling his battles and victories. It’s often hard, touching, sometimes funny, but always powerful. An excellent way to dive into his mind and heart.
You can also watch his interviews on RFI or learn more about the French cecifoot team on France Paralympique. He is a true role model.
Why take an interest in the inspiring story of Hakim Arezki?
What strikes is the quiet strength of the man. He didn’t just win medals; he transcended a destiny that could have broken him. His story reminds us that limits are often in our heads, and that when you have rage and support, you can achieve the impossible.
He is also the reflection of a proud Kabyle community, a diverse and welcoming France, where unique journeys are woven. His commitment beyond the fields makes him an ambassador of handisport and a defender of essential ideals.
By discovering his life, one touches both the soul of an exceptional athlete and that of a deeply human man, who knew how to make darkness a springboard to a dazzling light.
So take the time, truly, to dive into his biography and interviews; it’s a wind of energy and hope blowing strongly over the adapted sports world.
What you might not have known about Hakim Arezki
- 🔥 He nearly lost a leg in addition to his sight but survived thanks to incredible determination.
- ⚽ Cecifoot, he discovered it by chance at the National Institute for Blind Youth and it changed his life.
- 🎵 Fan of the Kabyle poet Lounès Matoub, his songs have always been a source of inspiration for him.
- 🏆 First penalty in the cecifoot final at the 2024 Paralympic Games, a moment engraved in history.
- 🙌 He has deeply contributed to the creation and development of the Bondy Cécifoot Club.
