Judoka Antoine Bouchard will compete for one last time this weekend at the Montreal Pan American Open.
The athlete from Jonquière will have the opportunity to perform in front of his family and friends at the Center Pierre-Charbonneau.
In interview on the show It’s never the samethe bronze medalist at the Rio Olympics said he was proud of the work accomplished over the years.
I’ve had a great career with several pretty incredible results, but one of my greatest prides is longevity.
Antoine Bouchard left home at 17 to go train in Montreal. He managed to be part of the national team for 12 years and practically completed three Olympic cycles.
Open in full screen mode
Antoine Bouchard (right) and his colleagues David Popovici and Isabelle Harris won medals at the Pan American Games recently.
Photo : Sportcom Info
Turning his back on competition is not an easy task, but he indicates that his decision is carefully considered. Moreover, he has been preparing for his release for several months.
I had shoulder surgery last year. My goal was to come back and qualify for the Olympics. Unfortunately, after my return, I saw that it was practically impossible to qualify for that. I made the decision to aim for the Pan American Games two weeks ago, qualify, win a medal and finish in Montreal fighting in front of my family and friends. The plan worked.
A new life
At only 29 years old, there is no shortage of projects for the future. He first intends to complete his doctorate. He will also help the Judo Canada team with the organization of events.
Moving away from competition gives me the opportunity to work on other facets of the sport, he mentions.
Judo is my passion, the love of my life. I can never get too far away from it.
He will continue high-level training until the Olympic Games, to prepare the other members of the national team for the biggest sporting event on the planet.
On November 25, he will be in Saguenay for a spaghetti dinner for the benefit of the Jonquière Elite Club, where it all began for him.
2023-11-17 16:56:05
#weekend #competition #judoka #Antoine #Bouchard
