Of joy and anger. Tears have been running down Sarah-Léonie Cysique’s cheeks in recent years. But, this Wednesday afternoon, the reigning Olympic vice-champion appeared all smiling during the Champions Route for her first visit to the Toulon Sports Palace. Right in the place where the double national title will be present at the French first division championship this weekend.
At just 24 years old, Aisne’s -57kg tricolor judoka has already experienced some crazy moments. Carried in triumph by Teddy Riner after the decisive point brought to the Blues in the final of the mixed team event of the Tokyo Games of 2021 against Japan in the Nippon Budokan, temple of judo. Inconsolable after the red card for an action considered dangerous by the referee and his councilors in the individual final of these same Olympics. Or even bewildered after his recent elimination in early October in the third round of the World Cup in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
However, nothing prevents him from always moving forward in his quest for individual gold.
One month after your premature elimination at the World Cup, how do you feel?
I feel good. I accepted my defeat and I am ready to move forward in the next competitions. I haven’t had the opportunity to talk about my fight with my coaches yet. [Romain Poussin, membre de son club l’ACBB judo, à Boulogne-Billancourt, et Séverine Vandenhende à l’Insep, Ndlr]. But I’m clearly going to do it to see what went wrong to work on it and improve.
From 2019 you regularly climb the podiums of the main competitions. It doesn’t take much to finally win gold …
Everything varies. The fights I lose when I reach the final never happen the same way. It’s not bad luck but I mean it hasn’t been my day so far. Even if I can’t wait for it to arrive. I have no block or particular problem with regards to the finals.
The deciding point in the Tokyo Olympics final must have been an incredible moment. Do you use this experience today?
Of course. I need it and I will need it. Although there is a difference between teams and individual fights. When you are alone, you have no room for mistakes. As a team, if you miss it, it can sometimes be compensated. The pressure is much less strong with more people and unconsciously remains different. Even if I don’t have the impression of being stressed by one or the other of the events. Evolving as a team remains more liberating, particularly thanks to the euphoria of a group. But this freedom, this creativity and this dueling game can help me in often more closed individual fights.
Transmission and sharing are key values of judo. Does this explain your coming here?
Yes, it is very important. For me judo was a school of life to reveal myself and give the best of myself. I wish the children could have the same experience. The values transmitted by this sport such as sharing, respect, friendship, coexistence are very important to me.
Like Chloé Devictor, Anaïs Mosdier or Anne M’Bairo, a dozen of Varois have qualified for the French championship. What do you think of the Var training?
Each region has its own way of practicing judo. This is particularly evident in the youth categories. It has always been said that the girls from the south, who trained at the Marseille polo, had a reputation for being very combative. The ones you mentioned to me match this profile exactly. (You smile). Can’t wait to see what this weekend brings. I think Var is a good judo school.
With two national titles, do you have any tips for performing in this competition?
This is a very difficult event where everyone knows each other. We must be able to make the difference between the fighter, the friend or the teammate. If you want to be the best, you have to beat everyone and put this look aside to perform.
