Exceptional day yesterday for hundreds of children at the Palais des Sports in Montauban (Tarn-et-Garonne): six Olympic, world or European champions in judo and jiu-jitsu were present to promote the discipline.
“The Champions Route,” summarizes Lionel Quillet, the chairman of the departmental judo committee (2,400 members), “it is a moment of encounter between champions of yesterday and today and a group of public, judokas from our clubs, schools, the elderly and handicapped children.”
A beautiful dish
And yesterday it happened. First of all, because of the pedigree of the champions: Céline Lebrun, Olympic vice-champion of 2000, Cathy Arnaud, world champion of 1987 and 1989, Guy Delvingt, winner of the Paris tournament in 1981 and 1982, Guillaume Chaine, gold medal at the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021, Alexandre Iddir, also in Tokyo gold, and Estelle Gaspard, originally from Carcassonne, three-time Jujitsu world champion. A beautiful field and athletes who played the game with seriousness, dedication and also with good humor.
The other reason for the success of this itinerary is due to its logistical and technical scope: a giant tatami, Japanese decorations, a huge stage, a giant screen, clips (hello from Thierry Marx), a taiko orchestra (Japanese drums ), the Kodomo mascot, leading sponsors (Crédit agricole, Enedis, the city of Montauban, etc.), and an excellent Mr. Loyal, Fred Lecanu, himself flanked by an excellent record as a judoka (he defeated Teddy Riner in the individual France in 2006!), who we also know as a commentator for L’Équipe or Eurosport.
Judo, with its values of sharing, solidarity and respect “is a school of life,” he says. And it is this “moral code” that served as the common thread during this day of discussions.
With mentally handicapped children
In the morning, about a hundred mentally disabled children, from autism level 1 to Down syndrome, took place on the tatami, many for the first time in their lives. IME Bellissen, Pierre Sarraut, Paul Soulié and others, with their supervisors. The same session for them as for the able-bodied in the afternoon, only with less loud music. Same warm-up, same work with partner, but no fighting. Dorianne, 21 years old, 2nd dan judoka and specialized supervisor, had tears in her eyes at the end of the meeting. “Everything went well, without stress, without deviations.” We are talking about children who often have difficulty with physical contact with others, “and sometimes the valve is twisted” in the words of Fred Lecanu. Judo is much more than a sport there.
“A magical moment”
In the afternoon, the Valence clubs of Agen, Beaumont, Castelsarrasin, Moissac, Nègrepelisse, Verdun, Bressols, Lot, Haute-Garonne and Tarn also arrived with their young people to follow the big judo show with champions still available.
“A magical moment, a moment of sharing,” summed up Céline Lebrun well, her heart in Montauban, but her thoughts turned to Paris 2024, where judo is expected to be a major medal winner.
Meanwhile, judo continues to animate the Montauban Sports Palace, with the French Para Judo Adapted Championship on Saturday, “with incredible athletes, recommends Alain Spaint, president of the departmental adapted sports committee, and several of Olympic level”. Not the same route, but brilliant champions.