Shirine Boukli is the world number one and has been consistent on the podia of the World Judo Tour since 2020. She endured the battle for the Tokyo Olympic Games spot, leapfrogging Melanie Clement, but only just. Now there is a new challenger; Boukli is the hunted and no longer the hunter. Pont is snapping at her heels and has climbed to number 3 on the World Ranking List. France can be assured that whoever is selected for Paris, they will have been pushed at home and abroad to be at their very best for their home Games. France will have a real contender for the gold medal.
They are sharing the medals between them all over the world. Pont won in Paris, Tel Aviv and Antalya this year and looked on devastating form coming into Doha but she had to accept just a 5th place, losing to Tsunoda first and then Koga, offering each Japanese judoka a certain place on the rostrum.
Boukli won in Baku and then at the Masters and was perhaps more rested and fresh for the world championship test. She finished her day with a world silver medal, her first in the seniors, beating Koga (JPN) along the way. What is her personal view on the route to that achievement?
“I tell you first about my training and preparation. I like Japanese judo but for example, last time I fought Tsunoda was the final of Tel Aviv when I was still a junior. I was in Japan for a training camp last month but we barely fought at all. I tried but her strategy was to stay fresh against us in competition by staying away from us. We had just a couple of minutes here and there and it was completely different from the way she fights in tournaments.
For me it’s normal to play with the strong girls and I want to fight all of them in training. Having not had that so much with Tsunoda, this final on the first day of the event gave me so much information. In Japan I watched Koga’s uchi-komi, at Tsukuba, and I learned. I always want to fight them. If I have a tiny problem with someone I must fight them and train and solve it. I am the same at home as I am in camps. I want to enjoy judo and when I arrive at INSEP I want to take all the big names. One by one I aim at whoever is a problem for me.
Sometimes I work with cadet men because it’s interesting and I can really play. Against their strength I have to give a different fight. I prepare technically with my brother too, who is a first year cadet at -50kg. He does randori and technical work with me. After the last week of training together in preparation for Doha he sent me a message to do something for him at this world championships and I think I did. It’s my first senior world medal and I think maybe it is mine and his.
The beginning of this year was hard after the high of the Masters. Mittersil and the tournaments really showed that my body wasn’t ready but the Japan camp was a turning point. I had little breaks too and took some time away, not long but enough to give me the sensation of missing judo, which is something I realised I need. My body gets a sort of fire and needs to compete. So, I decided not to compete in Antalya as it would break my careful preparation for the worlds.
Kilian Le Blouch is my coach at Flam91 club in France. He trusts me and I like having as much of his influence as possible in my judo. He supported my feeling about Antalya. Originally the federation planned it as part of my programme and I knew if I didn’t perform at the worlds that my decision would have been seen as wrong, with regard to Antalya, especially as Blandine went and won it. The federation allowed me to change the plan and it worked, so I am really happy with how things are going. I say to myself, ‘Shrine, stay on the right road.’
I love this positive relationship Blandine has with the public. I don’t want to always be in the light. I felt it was right to be more alone, just with my coach. When I came to Doha, people sort of left me alone and I felt fresh, partly because of that. Blandine works her way and I work in my way. I focus only on myself and not on her path. She pushes me and I push her to be the best and it’s great to have this concurrence in so many of the categories in France. Japan has the same. We all push each other. If we think about the rivalry with the girl in our own team then we lose the real focus. I have to be a champion and focus on my development against all of the world. If I’m the best girl at -48kg I will go to the Olympic Games. If I’m the best then France won’t choose another girl so I just continue to work to be the best.
Even at this world championship I felt like some of the time I was playing and it was fun. Fight by fight I just go. I restart for each contest and with this feeling, it was a really cool day.
I’m happy with the result; first final, first medal, it’s amazing. You need to be happy after that! It’s a lot of work and so we have to take a moment to enjoy it. The work is good and I know now I can keep it going.”
Shrine Boukli is clearly focussed on her goals and she works hard, adhering to the judo values and to coaching programmes. What is less obvious when watching on screen is that Boukli is joyous, happy with her life and with this judo train she is on. The competition is thrilling, the work is satisfying and the relationships are fulfilling. At 24 years old she has a lot already figured out and with a happy heart she continues on her road, as she calls it.
