From our special correspondent in Tokyo,
She took a while to say it, as if, despite the beauty of the title, she still hoped she could turn things around. But no, Amandine Buchard is indeed Olympic vice-champion in judo. “Only”, we understand when we see her arrive in the mixed zone a few minutes after her defeat in the final, without succeeding in holding back her tears. “It’s a lot of emotions because I had come for a title, she breathes. During the competition I thought a lot about my dad. It was the opportunity to make my dream come true, but also his. There, I am a little frustrated. “
Her father, who died in 2008 and who had brought her to judo, and whom she always refers to when it comes time to talk about her personal journey. A chaotic route, “with ups and downs”, as the light of the Champigny club does not hide it. This is precisely why this silver medal represents a sacred reward for her, who had fallen into depression just before the Rio Olympics, overwhelmed by draconian diets to hold her weight category (-48 kg) while she wants to go up to -52 kg.
“I savor it anyway”
It just needed a little while to really realize it. “It’s true, she is beautiful”, she conceives with a smile a good half hour later, contemplating her medal. The ceremony was there, and she was able to measure the value of her performance. “We are not very able to say that we have climbed on an Olympic podium,” she observes. When hot, it was very hard, it still is, but I enjoy it anyway. “
The cries and applause of her friends Clarisse Agbegnenou and Shirine Boukli, talkative in the stands with the small fifteen members of the France team present, helped her to smile again.
There are a lot of caring people on this team. It’s like a family, she greets. I thank them, without them I will surely not be here today. “
For a long time, in this day, we believed Amandine Buchard invincible. She had started by dismissing a Georgian, who preferred to stop the fees when she was already a waza-ari behind, then won by ippon in less than a minute against the South Korean Da-sol Park . Again, it was nothing compared to her demonstration in the semifinals, when poor Swiss Fabienne Kocher, on her back even before she understood that the fight was on.
“She had a great day, that’s the first thing I told her after her final, debriefs the coach of an ambitious women’s team, Larbi Benboudaoud. You know me, I don’t mince my words, if she hadn’t done the job I would have told her. There, not at all. There is this little taste of unfinished business because it was capable of making the Marseillaise rock, but I know where it comes from. We are happy and proud of her. “
“The longest 20 seconds of my life”
At least Amandine Buchard will be able to tell herself that she had the fight she wanted. She was salivating from a final in Japan against local star Uta Abe, she was served. ” I like challenges. But she maneuvered well, ”she admits. And ended up having it after more than four minutes of an unbreathable golden score fight. “She locked me firmly to the ground,” she continues. Usually I’m a cat, I manage to get out, but there I was stuck on the odds. It was the longest 20 seconds of my life. You feel helpless, it’s terrible. “
Of course, even from above the stands, they seemed interminable. So for her … These twenty seconds will however serve her next three years, if ever the need arises. “Amandine her worst enemy is herself. Having made this final, it will teach him a lot of things, ”said Benboudaoud. “I have always bounced back, and I will do it again, engages the person concerned. She [Abe] had its title with her, I will have my revenge at home, in 2024. ”Yum yum.