Born in Bordeaux, he began training with former Olympic pole vault medalist Thierry Vigneron in 2009. The year he came seventh at the 2009 World Youth Championships in Athletics and also won at the 2009 Gymnasiade with a personal best of (his first clearance over five metres). He added a further five centimetres to his best in 2010 and won the French junior title. He continued to improve the following season, which culminated in a silver medal at the 2011 European Athletics Junior Championships with a vault of . He had an indoor best of at the start of 2012 but faltered in the outdoor season, failed to register a height at the French Athletics Championships.