the essential
The double world kayak champion, who announced the end of his career a little over two weeks ago, will compete in his last races this weekend (October 19-20), in Pau, during the French Championships. On this occasion, Bigourdan looks back on the reasons for his choice, his career and looks towards the future.
What motivated your choice to end your career?
It’s a whole. We, high-level athletes, function through Olympiads. Every four years, I always ask myself this question. I always told myself that if I left, it was to be world champion or that I felt I had the chance to be an Olympic medalist. After Paris, I asked myself the questions and I felt that it was the moment. I gave myself time to think so as not to make too hasty a decision. All the questions I asked myself led to the same conclusion: it was time. It’s time for me to enjoy my family and my children. It’s a mix between the physical, the psychological and the family. Physically, at my age, it’s difficult to stay 100% without hurting yourself. When I imagined going back for four years, I saw all the energy that it was going to require and honestly, I didn’t have that energy.
Also read:
Kayak: Bigourdan Boris Neveu, double K1 World champion, announces his retirement from sport
Did your disappointment in Paris, and therefore the fact of not having won a medal, influence your choice?
Not necessarily. When I asked myself the question before the Games, I had imagined everything. Finishing with an Olympic champion title and going out the front door, but on the other hand, I told myself that by being Olympic champion, that meant that I still had the level to continue for four years. I thought that not succeeding in the Games would tickle me to continue a little longer, so as not to stop there. Before the Games, I really didn’t know, all scenarios were possible and the fact of having missed the Paris Games didn’t really play a role. Above all, as I said, I didn’t have the energy to leave again.
Also read:
Paris 2024 Olympic Games – Kayak: “I wouldn’t have an Olympic medal and that’s annoying”, Bagnérais Boris Neveu looks back on his failure
This weekend in Pau, you will compete in your last official competition. What are your expectations?
Honestly, I’m not aiming for a medal. I still sail two or three times a week, but I don’t have a goal. In slalom, I know that I am not fast enough to get something and in cross country, the planets would have to align for me to hope for something. The objective was really Paris, it’s sure that if I get on the box, it’s nice, but I don’t have too many illusions, because I haven’t put all the chances on my side to get a medal.
It’s more like a jubilee…
Yes, that’s it. I slowly unwind to move on. It’s one last moment to please myself. It will be an opportunity to see people, my training partners, my family. It’s going to be a special date.
Exactly, what are your feelings before giving your last paddle strokes?
The closer it gets, the more I feel like it might be moving. It’s a page of 20 years of my life that is about to turn. I have had the chance to meet a lot of people in my career. I realize that I’ve been here for a while and that everything will end on Sunday. I’m going to live the moment to the fullest and I’m going to make the most of every moment because, despite everything, I take a lot of pleasure in this sport, I take a lot of pleasure in sailing on the water. So, for sure this weekend, I think it’s going to be a little complicated.
Also read:
Olympic Games 2024-Kayak cross: Boris Neveu, a new dream collapses… How the Bigourdan let slip a medal that was holding out his arms to him
You said it, 20 years at the highest level, what do you remember about your career?
20 years at the high level, it’s true that it’s good, but I would perhaps have preferred to do 15 or 10 years and be an Olympic champion. What I loved about my career was being able to win. I think I did pretty well with my titles. What I remember is really my resilience, my ability to bounce back and always question myself in order to move forward. Until today, I wasn’t really aware of my track record because, when you have your head in the driver’s seat, you always want to win more. When I made the decision to quit, I looked in the rearview mirror and realized my track record. I was still a double world champion, I was European champion, I was world number 1, I won almost everything. It was only with the Games that things stuck.
Is being an Olympic champion the only regret of your career?
There is really a regret of not having had an Olympic medal, obviously. An Olympic medal is different from anything else you can win. Afterwards, I don’t really have any regrets because I leave with a light heart, telling myself that I did everything I could do to put myself in the best conditions to get this medal. I never cheated, I never lied to myself. I have always tried to do my best. Yes, it didn’t work out, but I always gave it my all. Even in the last buoy at the Games, I gave everything, so I have no regrets in the sense that I always gave the best of myself and I put everything I could into place. But, obviously, I regret not having succeeded, but it was often complicated for me during the selections for the Olympics and that may have played a role.
Also read:
Paris 2024 Olympic Games – Kayak cross: no final for Boris Neveu, eliminated in the semi-final
Today, have you asked yourself the question of your post-career?
I’m trying to think about it, but I can’t come up with an answer yet. I have ideas, but I don’t have a validated path yet.
Among the tracks, is there that of coach in Pau, for example?
Training is one of the ideas, it’s something that I would like. But today, as it stands, I won’t be going in there with the team at the top. These are not my values. They don’t share my way of working and I really respect today’s coaches who manage to work in these conditions. People who operate with management based on fear, terror, lies, or shenanigans are not my values. I don’t want to work with that in mind. I don’t want to get involved in that. Why not later, but today my values are too far from what happened. I know that some people would like that, for there to be transmission. The athletes, the coaches push me in this perspective, but it is the directives from above that do not suit me.
