“I feel like my kimono has shrunk a little. Or maybe it’s me who’s gotten wider… (Laughs)” Gabriella Willems found his smile again and returned to training. For the first time in months, the 26-year-old from Liége put her kimono back on. Not yet “real” judo, but a first contact with the tatami during the Team Belgium training course in Belek.
“It’s really nice” declares the judokate. “I didn’t expect to have such good feelings already. And it’s nice to be here. It changes my environment. We breathe. I really feel like I’m breathing. The conditions are optimal for training. In terms of recovery, medical care. For me, it’s really great! This is what I needed.”
Gabriella Willems is in full rehabilitation. Deprived of competition. Blame it on repeated injuries. However, the year is off to a good start. On February 17, she won the bronze medal at the Grand Slam in Tel Aviv. His last tournament…
The result was a shoulder injury. Several months off. The return takes place on August 5 at the Masters in Budapest, but it is a relapse. A new disillusionment. Gabriella doesn’t even fight. Dropped by her knee while warming up…
“I had a second rupture of the anterior cruciate ligaments in my right knee.“ explains the former junior world bronze medalist. “The first time was in 2021 before the Tokyo Games. (editor’s note: an injury which deprived her of a first Olympic participation while she was qualified for Tokyo) And so, here, the story begins. repeat. Fortunately, this time, I have a little more time to recover before Paris. But it was a hard blow.”
Injuries that accumulate. The shoulder, the knee. It’s starting to do a lot.
“It was really difficult” remembers Gabriella Willems. “All the more difficult as I was on a good run. After my first knee operation, the recovery was a little difficult. But, here, I think I came back stronger than before. My injury to the shoulder was already a hard blow. As soon as I started again, I didn’t feel too bad but straight away, I injured my knee. I had a pretty bad experience of it. Now, we’re moving forward and It’ll be better later.”
2023-11-22 09:58:56
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