In bronze on Saturday at the Masters in Budapest, after her sixth world gold in May, Clarisse Agbégnénou “takes the right path” to “be Olympic champion at home” after Tokyo, “doubly tired” but “proud” of her role as a judoka mother , she explains.
What is your assessment of this competition? I’m happy, I know it wasn’t easy. The Masters brings together the best in the world so there is no respite. I’m working hard to get back to the highest level. Alright, I won at the “World”, but for me it was not an end. I want to continue to endure, and there I needed to find my bearings. Know where I am and see what areas I need to work on. I’m very happy but now I’m going to work well because I love being on the podium, but I prefer to be on the first step.
What are these areas of work? The tactico-technique, strength, strength endurance, what I missed during the Golden score (overtime, editor’s note) in the semi-final (against the Japanese Miku Takaichi) and work especially to bring down the Japanese. In fact, quite simply, that it is also easier for me.
Did you lack lucidity? I don’t think it was that, I think it was the strength, the endurance to carry on until death ensued. Well, we’ve already done eleven-minute Golden Scores together and there it ended a little faster (nine minutes). On the ground, when I came out of the first immobilization, I left a lot of juice. It’s up to me to get her and bring her down first. So I don’t think it’s lucidity, it’s just training, to get back to my old form.
This form of yesteryear, do you think you can find it before the Games? I’ll do everything for it, but it’s already not bad! I’m not going to be the killjoy. A few months after the birth of my daughter (in June 2022, editor’s note), I didn’t think I would come back like that and grab world medals each time. So I’m very proud of it.
All while having your daughter with you in competition. Yes, everyone tells me “how do you do that with your child?”, Athena, whom I still breastfeed, day and night, on demand. She asks a lot and I’m still proud to be able to continue, even in times of competition. Last night I was with my daughter, she nursed at least 3-4 times. But for me these are things that are priceless.
It must also be a fatigue. Yes, because there we did a lot of training, a lot of loads, so I was already very tired. And doubly tired with my daughter! It’s still more than a year since I slept four hours in a row so it must play. And then sometimes, she nurses between fights, it’s still energy, but I manage to be there, not to hurt myself too much, to hang medals. So for the moment I keep this organization, I like it. These are things that allow me to move forward and that keep me going.
Seeing her with you, playing with your medal around your neck on the practice tatami, minutes after your fight, must be amazing. That’s awesome! And when I was in trouble, I was like “do it for Athena”. It was very hard, but it keeps me going. I have resources and it’s thanks to her that I want to do this, also to show her, instill values in her, it’s very important.
Being less than a year away from the Games, what does it matter? Doesn’t it become an obsession? Truth be told, when you have a kid, there’s so many things you do for them first… So when people tell me about the Games, I’m like “yeah that’s cool , it’s soon”, but straight away I’m there, I’m changing diapers, I’m breastfeeding and it’s out of my head. Maybe it’s good because it allows me to unload, to go crescendo. But maybe when the year 2024 hits, it will be something else. So far I’m enjoying it. I still have time to get back in shape and get the little things I miss to be Olympic champion at home. I’m on the right path.
