This is the first world medal for the 24-year-old French judoka.
“It’s a great silver medal, it’s still my first world medal. I’m super happy”enthuses, Sunday May 7 on franceinfo in the Info Club, the Frenchwoman Shirine Boukli, 24 years old, who obtains the silver at the World Championships of Doha in Qatar. “I can only be proud. It bodes well for the Olympics”she rejoices. “There is always a little bitter taste because I was there to go for the gold, I wanted to be world champion today.”
franceinfo. Are you rather satisfied or do you regret not having had the gold medal?
It’s a nice silver medal, it’s still my first world medal. I’m super happy. Of course there is always a little bitter taste because I was there to go for the gold, I wanted to be world champion today. Even if that was not the case, it is a lot of work that pays off today. We see things moving forward and I’m too proud, I only see the positive. It means many things this medal. There will be more and more beautiful ones
Is it a step towards Paris 2024?
Yes of course, it’s a world championship. Today, we are preparing for the Olympic Games, we always have a thought for the Games. It will happen quickly, it’s already next year. Me, everything I do today, all the competitions in which I participate, I do everything with the aim of preparing myself as well as possible for the Olympic Games and to be an Olympic champion.
Is it the result of the experience gained in previous competitions?
I took a lot of experience from the world championships where I lost. We put a lot of things in place, we worked on the details to control this Shirine who sometimes does too much. We looked for solutions to make me better. So we see things that are beginning to fall into place. That’s why she has a very good taste this medal. I can only be proud. This bodes well for the Olympics.
Did you take a lot of hits during your fights?
We do judo, we know it’s a fight, we know we’re going to fight from the start. I took a hit from the first fight, that’s the game. We know that in the end we will look like nothing but we don’t care and we do everything to get the medal.
