Magda Wiet-Hénin in taekwondo and Steven Da Costa in karate are among Lorraine’s best medal chances at the Tokyo Olympics. We met our two martial arts champions just before the start of the Olympic competition.
She is 25, he is 24. Magda Wiet-Hénin is from Nancy, Steven Da Costa from Mont-Saint-Martin in the Pays-Haut. What these two athletes have in common is that they will take part in their first Olympic Games in Tokyo in a few days and will have a good chance of a medal in their hands.
Magda Wiet-Henin
Magda Wiet-Hénin did her last preparation course before the Olympics in Vittel in her native Lorraine. Daughter of Valérie Hénin, world kickboxing champion in the 90s but also triple French taekwondo champion, Magda uses all the experience of her mother’s competition:“She gives me a lot of support. She knows how hard a high level career is. She knows how to comfort me. She knows how to motivate me. She is my mum I love her and we are happy to be able to go to the Olympics. “ The Olympic Games, Magda Wiet-Hénin dreamed of them from an early age. In Tokyo, the Nancy will aim for a medal and even the highest step of the podium. Very naturally, ella clearly displays her ambitions in Japan. “I live for Olympic gold. It has been my goal since I was 6 years old. The Olympic Games make me dream.
Olympic gold is what motivates me on a daily basis. Magda Wiet-Hénin, taekwondo champion.
I can’t wait to be able to fight “.
Magda Wiet-Hénin, here in blue, in full preparation for the Tokyo Olympics in Vittel.
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© Lydia Quérin / FTV.
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Louis Lacoste, the director of the French karate teams, insists on a particular element of the competition which guides the preparation: “Compared to the other competitions that we are used to doing at the Olympics, we know almost in advance the table and therefore all the opponents it will have. Suddenly, there is a lot of strategic preparation work and tactical since the partners are already known for the first rounds. “
Steven Da Costa
Like Magda Wiet-Hénin, karateka Steven Da Costa is aiming for a podium. But he will not have the choice, it is now or never because karate is invited as an additional discipline for this summer Olympiad in Japan but this will no longer be the case in 2024. World champion in Madrid in 2018 and double European champion, the Lorrain will only have one competition to win a medal. “Before, I didn’t miss anything.” raconte Steven Da Costa. “Now I miss the Games. It’s always been more or less a dream to participate.
It’s the biggest sporting event, so obviously the Games are the goal of a lifetime. Steven Da Costa, karateka.
Like Magda Wiet-Hénin, family is fundamental for Steven da Costa. Moreover, the young man trains with his relatives. Against his brothers in the dojo located only 300 meters from the family home and following the advice of his dad who is also his trainer. His father who did not change the preparation method before this Olympic deadline: “For us karatekas who have never been to the Olympic Games, we will prepare as for the world championships. Because the world championships were our Olympic Games.” For Steven Da Costa, everything will be played from August 05. A quit or double for Meurthe-et-Mosellan.
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