After their exploit at the last Olympics, young judokas Joan-Benjamin Gaba and Maxime-Gaël Ngayap Hambou are more determined than ever to seek gold at Paris 2024. Discover their journey and their ambitions to become the new stars of French judo. ..
When we talk about the greatest hopes of French judo for the next Paris 2024 Olympic Games, two names come up insistently: Joan-Benjamin Gaba and Maxime-Gaël Ngayap Hambou. At only 23 years old, these exceptional judokas have already tasted the joys of the Olympic podium during the last Olympic Games, winning individual silver and bronze respectively, as well as team gold. A real feat that few observers saw coming. However, within the France group nicknamed the “special forces”, everyone knew the immense potential of this duo of inseparable friends.
A mind of steel forged in adversity
Far from the spotlight and media expectations, focused mainly on their female teammates, Gaba and Ngayap Hambou prepared their move with unfailing determination. While few believed in their chances of medals, they clung to a leitmotif: “extinguish” the competition. And when it came time to step onto the Olympic tatamis, their steely mentality made all the difference.
The fight for the team title will be remembered forever. In the final against Japan, the big favorite, Joan-Benjamin Gaba pulled out all the stops to beat the legend Hifumi Abe in an epic duel. A success which owes a lot to the strength of the collective, as his friend Maxime-Gaël Ngayap Hambou points out:
I knew he was going to kill him. He’s my sure guy. When he got on the tatami, I felt like he was going to crash into him like never before.
Work as the watchword for 2024
Despite the immense satisfaction of these first Olympic podiums, Gaba and Ngayap Hambou know, nothing is yet won for 2024. International competition is fierce and expectations will be immense in Paris. But the two friends assure us:
We’re going to work even harder. We are young, we still have a lot of medals to go for. So we’re going to stay with our special forces to work like crazy.
Their coach Stéphane Frémont, who was able to create a positive dynamic within the group, confirms the strong ambition of the duo:
Joan and Maxime have an inexhaustible thirst for victories. In training, they don’t give up. Their motivation is communicative. They want to mark the history of French judo and I am convinced that they have the means.
Become the new stars of French judo
Thanks to their Tokyo exploits, Gaba and Ngayap Hambou gained recognition and financial support. But on a daily basis, their lives haven’t really changed. Intensive training, recovery, more training: this is their daily life, the no glory way. Because for these two enthusiasts, their sport is a priesthood that requires the greatest sacrifices.
If they achieve their goal in Paris in two years, by getting on the podium again and why not by winning this individual Olympic title which is out to them, Joan-Benjamin Gaba and Maxime-Gaël Ngayap Hambou could well become the new icons French judo. A status that would bring a welcome spotlight to their discipline, at a time when martial arts are attracting an increasingly wide audience. Without ever thinking twice, the two judokas are already planning towards this golden future:
If we perform in Paris, we hope that it will encourage young people to introduce their children to judo. It’s a great sport for the body and mind. And we will be proud to show that French judo is at the top in the world, with incredible values and a collective.
An ambition which could materialize from 2024. Gaba and Ngayap Hambou are in any case keen to give everything to once again experience their “katas” of victory on the highest step of the podium. Before, why not, passing the torch to a new generation of “special forces” that they will have helped to inspire.
2024-12-29 23:29:00