Judo is an individual sport, but it is not practiced alone. Neither in competition nor in training.
Also, alongside the six athletes from the Canadian judo team who are at the Paris Olympic Games to try to win medals, came two other judokas: Julien Frascadore, 24, Canadian champion in the under 66 kg category, and Guillaume Gaulin, 22, also Canadian champion, but in the under 90 kg category.
“They will serve as ‘training bags’ [punching bags]summarized the team’s head coach, Antoine Valois-Fortier, before the team left for France. The little one will serve the girls and Arthur Margelidon [-73 kg]. The big one will be used by others.
Their official title isn’t really “training bags,” but rather “sparring partners.” But otherwise, it’s pretty much the same thing. Their role will essentially consist of serving as opponents to their teammates in competition, but in training fights where it’s always the same ones who will be thrown to the ground and subjected to immobilizations and chokes.
“They’re going to be our punching bags,” said one of those who will benefit from their services, Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard. “Falling. Being thrown. It’s never the fun. »
They were chosen because of their seriousness, their rigor at work and their good chemistry with others, explained Antoine Valois-Fortier. “They are good level judokas. We know that they will be a positive force in the team.”
Julien, the “little one”, has already served as a training partner during a world championship. “We are asked to practice the style of the opponents that our partner is about to face.”
Guillaume, the “big one”, will be at his first experience. “We must challenger a little, but not too much. We don’t want to hurt them.”
Of course not! The ones who are supposed to be sore during training this time are them.
This report was financed with the support of the Transat International Journalism Fund-
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