It was April 5. The Pérignacienne Melissa Petraud won the title of French Judo Champion in UNSS (National Union of School Sport) in the category of under 70 kg. This 16 -year -old girl, for the second time in her young career, therefore climbed the first step of the podium. Previously, in the same category, she had already been crowned French champion in the regional championship. This first weekend in April therefore, who left in Dordogne with her Périgny club and Rochefortaise counterparts, she was fighting for a French team victory.
Melissa Petraud started judo by chance at the age of 9. Within a sports family, where gymnastics and rugby attract the rest of the siblings, the girl only knew what to do with her energy. She then tried a judo session “to see”. Today, she finds herself educated in Poitiers at the Isaac Lycée L’Espoir, which brings together many sections (languages, European, aeronautics, sporting, etc.). This younger black belt a Dan (soon two) trains twice a day, benefiting from a program set up by the Hope pole. The fights are linked with the 40 school judokates, of different weights and with the boys. On Friday evening, it is a family return to Périgny, not without previously switching to the Omnisports hall in Périgny-Rompsay or the judokas led by President Michel Martial and coach Adrien Dupont, compete on the red tatami. Melissa admits to being “fear” by her opponents, girls or boys.
She does not yet know what she will take as a professional orientation, although strong in math and sport. Training does not allow you to land and pass a BAFA, which it targets at first and a coach diploma can be, as long as the environment allows it. Each week before a competition, “you have to monitor your weight so as not to change category after the pre -game weighing”.
It is with a great apparent relaxation that she has been living her resident life for three years, during adapted schedules and programs during the week and champion on weekends. Representing the young people’s young people from France does not prevent him from remaining modest and keeping in reserve the hope of fighting internationally. President Michel Martial, who manages two hundred and fifty licensees, welcomes to see “his young people” progress, but the eye of the accountant remains very vigilant on the movements and competitions of his members.
All the sports clubs today, after the Olympic Games, have seen new registrations, but the “finances” have not followed. It is the “Achilles tendon” of clubs that still have to increase the number of their members to be able to overcome missing subsidies. Very proud of Melissa, the president hopes that his progression will always be as fast, while in his wake of young fighters arrive very soon.
