Amandine Buchard found her way back to success on Friday at the Antalya tournament. At the heart of a day when the French made four Marseillaise resonate thanks to Blandine Pont (-48kg), Luka Mkheidze (-66kg), Maxime Gobert (-66kg), the PSG judoka (-52kg) displayed a conquering turn , took revenge full of rage on the Briton Chelsie Giles and reassured about her recent physical problems.
Amandine Buchard, you beat Britain’s Giles, the world number 1, at the last second of regulation time. We saw a lot of rage and relief in your joy.
I’m happy. It’s a medal that does a lot of good because the last year and a half has been a bit complicated with a succession of injuries, especially the back. At the Masters (7th) in December, it was my first poor performance in a long time (her last tournament where she did not finish on the podium was Havana in 2014, editor’s note). I was super frustrated that day (loss by disqualification against Giles) because I wanted my revenge for my defeat in the final of the 2022 European Championships. I couldn’t have this revenge with this hansokumake. This game against Giles yesterday (Friday) in Antalya was important. It was my last competition before the Worlds (May 7-14 in Doha). It was important to take it back in hand and psychologically to regain confidence.
You win on your favorite movement, kata-guruma, but we have seen other things in this tournament, mowing, other shoulder movements…
I climbed crescendo on this competition. I was a bit of a spectator at first. It was a practice competition for the Worlds. I could put in place what I had worked on in recent months but I also had this pressure of absolutely wanting to win to reassure me. At the beginning of my day, I couldn’t enjoy myself. Gradually, Christophe Massina and Ludovic Delacotte, the trainers, said to me: “Bubuche, let go of the horses, unlock the head, we’re here to have fun, try things, calm down!” Seeing my buddies Luka Mkheidze and Blandine Pont who fought before me transcended me. I saw them advancing in the competition, going to the final. I also wanted to take my place in the final. Before getting on my final, I meet Blandine and Luka. I talk to Christophe and I tell him: “Blandine entertained us. Luka entertained us. I just have to do the job.” It motivated me. I wanted to join the friends who had won, take this revenge and get this Marseillaise.
You finished 3rd at the last Paris Tournament. You seemed very touched, especially by your back problems. Have you made progress on this point, are things going better?
I did very little competition during the last 18 months, I had to learn to train differently. The priority was to heal my back and reduce pain. They are present on a daily basis. I think I will have them all my life but they have diminished. Periodically, after a competition or an internship, it becomes painful again but it remains manageable. It allows me to take physical preparations where I can run. I had stopped bodybuilding since last summer, jogging too. All this allows me to regain my physical condition. At the Paris Tournament, I was physically below. It was normal because I didn’t train like before. Now, we have integrated a lot of muscle strengthening. That day I was injured, a broken toe and disinsertion of a tendon in the hand. I’m coming to the end of these things. It didn’t bother me on Friday. This medal is good, it has a special flavor compared to this physically and psychologically complicated year and a half.
