the Judo Pro League, a team competition to help young judokas become professionals

French judo is on top, second country in the world at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games with ten medals including two golds in the ultra-selective sport. Hauts-de-France wants to promote its young talents, because the French judo championship for mixed professional teams has just opened.

Ten medals including two golds at the Paris 2024 Games, France shined in judo in front of the whole world. When the event is over, it is the turn of the youngest, the future of the discipline, to stand up.

Madeleine, Malonga, triple Olympic medalist, is one of the lucky medal winners. He now uses his fame to share his experience with young judokas. : “I was super proud of myself when I did my first competition, it was like I was stressed, I was a little scared. […] My favorite techniques, I have three, are O-soto-gari, Ō-uchi-gari and Uchi mata.“

It is well known how lucky he is to make a living from his sport : “Sure, we don’t have a footballer’s salary, but I think we can still make a decent living. After all, it’s not even 10 % of all judoka, so we are not many. This is where there is still room for improvement..”

In Amiens, Manon Pecqueux, 20 years, wants to follow Madeleine Malonga’s trajectory. Wednesday October 9, 2:30 pm, the BTS student prepares to compete after making some arrangements at his school : “I’m in a work study program so it’s complicated. I have to go through the procedures of my company and IUT to leave early because I usually leave in 19 hours”

Today’s tournament : the Judo Pro League, a team competition created a year ago to help professionalize judo. One fight per participant, slightly different rules, multiple performances… a concept that appeals to the young judoka : “It is very interesting, it will be opponents with a very good national level, at least or international for some, so it is very good !“

The Pro League also provides additional income for team members.Judo in Hauts-de-France“, Composed of ten judokas. Four are under contract, a participation and victory bonus for others. Amiens Luka Lomidze lives in the Paris region to be able to train Insep, this is an additional motivation for him : “There is a financial side. Unfortunately, we don’t win like in football, but I think it gives a little more, so there are two sides, the professional side and the financial side, of course it goes together. It’s part of the preparation, it’s good.”

In Judo des Hauts-de-France, all fighters are from the region. Here, we are not looking for foreign athletes or other sectors. This leaves room for young shoots like Meane Korval, 21 years, former French junior champion. He saw an opportunity for improvement : “In judo, the big competitions, especially winning, are at least six, seven fights. Here it’s done in a fight, more at night, so it’s a little different format, it allows us to express ourselves, to try a lot of things that we can’t do in a normal competition because we don’t have a fight. This is a great concept !“

A concept and a real opportunity for young people, according to the regional technical director of the Hauts-de-France Judo League, Lilian Barreyre : “we have athletes who are 18, 19, and for them this is an enhancement and it can be a trigger to launch their career. So it’s amazing for our young people.“

Edited by Madison Mouquet / FTV