"After the unforgettable experience at the Paris Olympics, I resumed the Judo Nomad project, aiming to finish the season close to home. I chose to explore Great Britain, Ireland and Iceland before heading back to France for Christmas.
Last year, I spent my holidays in Australia, which turned out to be a tough time as most judo clubs were closed, leaving me isolated from family. I learned from that mistake and decided not to repeat it.
In this period, thanks to the IJF’s support, I was able to complete my IJF Academy certification in Birmingham with some incredible instructors. I’m grateful for the assistance they provided to keep the project moving forward.
Fortunately, I then reconnected with Jo Crowley from the IJF media team, who kindly invited me to Ealing Judo Club. Jo has been a great support throughout and her hospitality made the trip possible. In these countries, it’s crucial to be hosted due to the high cost of living.
She gave me a full tour of London, 22km of walking, where I could see the famous King’s Guards. I experienced an afternoon tea and even had a unique poem written for me about the Judo Nomad project!
During my time at Ealing Judo club, I had the chance to meet Prisca Awiti Alcaraz, Mexico’s silver medallist from Paris, who was visiting family in north London. She ran an insightful seminar on her attack system. It was great to get back into judo.
One of Jo’s club members who was preparing for the World Championship Juniors in Tajikistan and that was inspiring to witness. I also visited Charlotte and Sebastian Potter’s new club after meeting them at the IJF certification. They’re young but highly skilled and dedicated to their students, running a great club in the south of London.
Logistics in the UK were a bit tricky, so I couldn’t explore the whole country as planned. However, I managed to connect with one of Ealing’s members who now lives in the Midlands, Vlad Oleinic, who hosted me with his family for nearly a week. It was lovely to enjoy some Eastern European flavours, as Vlad is originally from Moldova. He invited me to Hardy Spicer Judo Club, close to where he lives, another good experience.
In northern England I visited DNA Judo Academy, run by Danny Harper. We connected through David Groom, who runs ‘The Judo Way of Life’ podcast in Australia. Danny’s dedication to reviving judo post-pandemic is admirable. We trained at two of his dojo and even had some downtime where I saw the northern lights for the first time!
Before heading to Ireland, Danny introduced me to ProJudo in Glasgow, one of GB’s largest clubs with over 650 members. Their volunteer-based approach and work with refugee athletes are impressive. While I didn’t get to visit Edinburgh this time, I’m planning to do so on my way back from Iceland.
Thank you all for following and supporting the Judo Nomad project. Season 3 is nearing its end and I can’t wait to kick off season 4, which promises even more exciting adventures!"