“With Fred it’s a special relationship. She works with the federation but she helped me throughout this cycle. It was complicated for me to find a good road to this Games as I wanted to work with Kilian Le Blouch, my coach, but also it’s important to be with the French team.
I call her [Frederique Jossinet] whenever there is a new challenge and she helps to find the middle line. She is in a unique position as my friend and a mentor but also holding a special position in the federation.”
Jossinet won silver at the Athens Olympic Games in 2004, exactly twenty years before Boukli won her Olympic medal in Paris.
“At the 2022 World Championships, when I lost, I said I must change a lot of things. I was world number one but lost in the second round in Tashkent! How? So I called Fred and she helped to find the way to adapt my planning to include some training everyday with the federation, technical training with Severine [Severine Vandenhende, French National Coach and Olympic champion] a couple of times per week, plus randori in INSEP."
"The rest of my time could be with Kilian. For me it was the right solution to get better. We found places in the calendar to add training camps with Kilian too."
"With Fred, everything could have been very complicated but she trusted me and Kilian and helped like a special mediator. Kilian’s programme for me is the best because he knows me so well. He is always with me, just him and me. I’m like a project for him. In the French team they must think about everyone, it’s their role, but I need a lot and sometimes the national coaches don’t have the possibility to do everything for everyone. With Kilian it was all just for me."
"Fred encourages me and reminds me of the work I have done. She came to me after I lost to Tsunoda (JPN) in the quarter-final at this Paris Games and she reminded me of the special techniques I can do. She told me to play and enjoy this game of judo. After that, I won the medal and she said, ‘See it’s not so difficult!’ I also threw Scutto for the first time, in the repechage."
"I have had illnesses and injuries. Sometimes I’m winning the biggest games and then losing early at the worlds. It is always really hard for me, so up and down, but Fred finds the right points to inject inspiration. She’s always here for me. She’s a champion and also my friend.
I wanted the gold in Paris but I had no previous medal at the Olympic Games so it was important for me to take a medal. I respect Tsunoda a lot and I knew it was the big fight of the day. I was frustrated because I didn’t get to do what I worked to do in that fight but it would feel different if I lost to someone else; Tsunoda really is the best. I like when players have ‘easy’ judo and she really does. It’s Olympic at home. It’s historic.
I said to myself that this bronze medal is amazing. My family are here and can see it all and share it with me. To finish at 7th or 5th place was not possible, I couldn’t allow it.”
Thinking about the rest of the team, Shirine is wholly positive, “For me it was logical that the men would perform. We had this special chance at home. In the Bercy, at the Paris Grand Slam, the men prove themselves always and take the energy from the crowd. For 4 or 5 fights each, we know that they can do it at home. They had extra fire; it’s their mat! All had a possibility to win a medal.”
Boukli is now a world silver medallist and an Olympic bronze medallist. She knows more precisely than ever how to reach the top and has the best support team, from federation staff, personal coach, national coaches and teammates and already has her sites firmly set on the next challenges.