“this is my biggest regret”

Lucie Louette, a retired former Amiens judokate, was never able to accomplish her dream. That of participating in the Olympic Games. The European champion, in 2013, nevertheless glimpsed the door to the Olympics three times, without ever being able to cross it. After a career that came to an abrupt end, she had to accept this cruel fate, before being today “proud” of the progress she has made.

Even though she retired from tatami mats eight years ago, judo is still very present in Lucie Louette’s life. In her physiotherapist’s office, the former Amiens judoka has placed objects, in honor of the discipline, but also as memories of this first life as a high-level athlete.

The rooms are named after important cities in its history. One is called Berlin, in reference to her German husband. A second is called Paris, the city in which she spent her entire professional career, at the National Institute of Sport, Expertise and Performance (Insep). And finally, a last room was designated Tokyo, an essential location for the French Judo team. It is there that the annual training course for the French judo team takes place, before the major international events.

“I spent fifteen high-level, fifteen years at INSEP. And so, it’s important for me to work with small objects or small souvenirs on a daily basis.“At the entrance to the office, the trophy of the European title won in 2013, in Budapest, Hungary, sits in plain sight.

During this period, Lucie Louette was at the top of her art. She covets a place to finally participate in the Olympic Games in Rio in 2016, after two non-selections in 2008 and 2012. But a nasty injury dashes her hopes, and her Olympic dream will ultimately never come true. “This is my biggest regret of my career“, she remembers.

“I have experienced three Olympics at Insep, three different Olympics, including with injustice in 2008 when my race for selection for the Olympic Games was stopped. 2012, a 3rd place in the world which does not allow me to reach it since a French woman was in front of me. And an injury in 2016. So yes, my biggest regret of course is not having done them because obviously, I trained every day for that. It’s the dream of every top athlete. So it was very difficult.”

I had to experience it like that. If I had something to change, I don’t know if I would change anything in the end, since a career is lived 1000%, on the big day.

Lucy Louette

judokate, 2013 European champion

The hardest part was accepting the situation. She mentions “mourning“ that she had to perform, “compared to my high-level career because it was the injury that stopped me. It wasn’t me who directly decided to stop.“ But also admit that she could not “Never again” make the Olympics.

Looking back on this period, she believes that it was her destiny. “I had to experience it like that. If I had something to change, I don’t know if I would change anything in the end, since a career is lived at 1000%, on D-day and then there you go. It really brought me a lot for my life today. I am fulfilled in my family life and in my professional life. Ultimately, it’s the most important. When you are an athlete, you live in a bubble, you only live for this goal of the Olympic Games. But we can’t see further. And when you stop your career, you tell yourself that there is still a life behind it. I am proud of that today and of the career I was able to have.“

To cope with these adventures, she reports having given herself “new goals every time“, with the support of those close to him.”It was training with the boys, for example, in 2012. It brought me a lot. It changed my activities a little. I started working when I graduated from physiotherapy school. It gave me a little breath of fresh air. Make yourself useful for something else. I needed to have something on the side to be able to move forward.“

Eight years later, Lucie Louette has turned the page and emphasizes her “greatest pride“to have been able to”bounce“at every stop, without regret.”When we rewatch the fights, we say to ourselves that we could have done that. But, it’s like in everyday life, you shouldn’t have regrets. You have to live your passion and your life to the fullest, without looking too much in the rearview mirror.“

Next month, the judoka will closely follow the Paris Olympics this summer and the exploits of some of her former teammates, without bitterness.

With Anthony Halpern / FTV