“After Paris 2024, the feeling of emptiness was quite short”

At the end of November, near Tignes for the Étoiles du Sport, Sarah-Léonie Cysique is having fun alongside her French team partner Amandine Buchard. Although she did not manage to win the individual Olympic title she dreamed of in Paris this summer, the 26-year-old judoka nevertheless keeps her radiant smile. A look back at a still magnificent summer in the company of a fulfilled young woman.

Sarah-Léonie, how have these four months gone since the Paris Olympic Games?
Sarah-Léonie Cysique: They went very well. I took the time to savor it, and I still do. I went on vacation to recharge my batteries and there, I naturally returned to training.

Did you still feel that famous emptiness after the Games? Was there ever a point where you wondered what you were going to do from now on?
It's true that it was weird. Especially between the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games, where there were two weeks of beatings. I remember I was at home and I asked myself this exact question: what am I doing? I had been in the race for months, preparing for this event thinking only of that, that everything I did was aimed at one and the same goal. I wanted to think about Los Angeles in 2028 but that's still far away. I'm so used to having goals all the time that the fact that it was a bit empty, I had to adapt. But the fact that the Paralympic Games took place behind did me good because I focused on it and I took advantage of it to go see competitions. Afterwards, I resumed a slightly more active life and I was really looking forward to getting back into a sporting routine. And in the end, this feeling of emptiness was quite short-lived. More than after Tokyo in fact.

I think it's going to take me a moment, like for Tokyo, to forget all that a little bit.

Sarah-Léonie Cysique

What sticks in your memory the most? The individual bronze medal or the team title?
I would say that in terms of emotion, it was more or less similar. At the end of the team final, honestly, I couldn't even stand on my feet so emotionally, it was strong. Having shared this with everyone increased my joy tenfold. However, my individual was more satisfactory. I was more proud of myself, of what I had done. I often tend to think back to my individual struggles. I think it's going to take me a moment, like for Tokyo, to forget all that a little bit. But the day of the team competition was sure crazy.

What did you miss in the semi-finals against Christa Deguchi?
I've been analyzing it ever since, and I'm still continuing (smile). It's true that Christa is super strong in what she does. It's often a double-deal with her. There are times when she can win so easily that it seems like she has no difficulty. And sometimes, we see that she is struggling and that she really has difficulty expressing herself. I think it was one of those days for her, but that didn't mean she couldn't win so I stayed very vigilant. And in our semi-final, she fought a little differently from what she is used to doing, with a very traditional judo. She attacked a lot on her knees, much more than usual. She was really on the ground all the time, on the attack all the time. I tried to ward off, to find solutions and it wasn't easy because I could see that she was in her rhythm. Even though she was very tired, she didn't give up and I couldn't find a way to surprise her, to make this shift. Then, talking with my coach, she told me that it was a very good fight, and that there had to be a winner. On this day, she was destined to win. That's not why I'm not sad or disgusted, but I'm okay with it. And I know that the next time we meet, I will do everything to finally find this solution and win.

Did you also feel frustrated at being on the podium again, but not on the top step?
I would say that before, there was a certain frustration because I said to myself: why not me? Why can't I do it? But I decided to free myself from this frustration, because it would mean that I don't appreciate the results I achieve today. So that I appreciate them, even if I want more and I'm not necessarily satisfied with what I have. But I am grateful for the work I do, for everything I put in place to get on the podiums and to win. And like I said, there has to be a winner. I managed to have a single, meager gold medal in the Grand Slam in Astana, where I was also very happy by beating the reigning Olympic champion at that time in the final. But it's true that arriving at the end of the day, there is always something that makes… However, today, I don't have any problems with that because I told myself that it t's high-level sport, which you can't always win. I tell myself that I would rather win ten medals, which symbolizes consistency, than have two gold medals and that's it. I put things into perspective more in order to appreciate what I have achieved and I still continue my little path which will lead me towards gold I hope.

I love beautiful, committed judo and it's true that it doesn't always pay off.

Sarah-Léonie Cysique

Your very spectacular style will also be remembered…
I hope. That's what I tell myself. Today, it's true that judo tends towards something not spectacular at all, very calculating. I like beautiful, committed judo and it's true that it doesn't always pay off. Sometimes you have to try to find other solutions to win. But it's true that I like being able to make an impression, even if I'm aware that you can't always win like that. Simply, I would like to be remembered like that, to say to ourselves: “do you remember Cisy, her very explosive judo?” If people can talk about me like that when I'm old, that would be great (laughs).

You are also very close to Romane Dicko. How did you experience his individual bronze medal and his deep sadness?
It's difficult because all the words in the world can't console him. There is real mourning to be done. I think that Romane had very high expectations for this competition, and she digests the fact of not having won gold less well than some. But I would like her to realize that this in no way takes away the value and strength she has. The girls studied his judo very well and it showed. I think it will force her to continue to progress, even if she is already above in her category. It's really not easy, I think, to have the status she had at these Games. But I think it will make an Olympic gold medal that much sweeter in Los Angeles. She is still lucky to be young and she is mentally strong, so I know she will do the work to get there. She just needs to not damage everything she has worked for to be able to get this medal.

Have you both already set yourself a LA 2028 challenge?
Not yet, even if we are already thinking about Los Angeles. In any case, I'm not afraid to project myself into Los Angeles. But before that, I have some titles to look for. I am not yet European champion, I am not yet world champion. So I still have medals to bring back, consistency to maintain before arriving in Los Angeles. But even if I think about it in the long term, I know that it won't stop me today.